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MEMORIES OF FORTY YEARS 




princess Catherine radziwill 



MEMORIES 
OF FORTY YEARS 



BY 



Princess Catherine Radziwill 

(Catherine Kolb) 



With Photogravure Illustrations 




FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 

New York and London 

1915 



.^ 



<&* 



Gift 
Publishes 



CONTENTS 



f 






Introduction 



PAQB 

ix 



Part I.— Memories of England 

CHAPTER 

1. My Visit to England ...... 3 

2. English Political Circles . . . . .14 

3. More English Impressions ..... 26 

4. England through the Eyes of a Foreigner . 41 



Part II.— Memories of Germany 

1. The Emperor William I. 

2. Daily Life at the Court . 

3. Receptions and Ceremonies 

4. The Empress's Thursdays . 

5. A Disappointed Life . 

6. An Empress's Foibles 

7. Prince Frederick 

8. The Imperial Family . 

9. The Entourage of the Sovereigns 

10. Court Festivities in Berlin 

11. Smart Socdsty in Berlin 

12. A Few Berlin Hostesses . 

13. The Radziwill Family 



49 

60 

64 

71 

76 

82 

90 

100 

110 

116 

127 

134 

142 



VI 



Contents 



CHAPTER PAGK 

14. The Intellectual World of Berlin . . . 147 

15. Prince von Bismarck . . . . . .152 

16. Count von Moltke and a Few Military Men . 164 

17. The Reichstag and its Different Parties. . 168 

18. The Diplomatic Corps . . . . .177 

19. Prince von Hohenlohe and Prince von Bulow. 184 

20. Princess Victoria . . . . . .190 

21. The Personality of the Crown Princess Victoria 201 

22. Victoria as Empress ...... 213 



Part HI.— Memories of Russia 

1. Alexander III. and his Consort 

2. The Imperial Family .... 

3. Some of the Emperor's Ministers 

4. The Personal Friends of the Emperor 

5. High Society in St. Petersburg. 

6. Social Life in St. Petersburg . 

7. A Few Salons of Old 

8. Pretty Women and Amiable Men 

9. Princess Lise Volkhonsky . 

10. Famous Diplomats .... 

11. Journalism in Russia 

12. Death of Alexander III. . 

13. The Coronation of Nicholas II. 

14. The Bell of Nyrob : a Russian Legend 



219 
228 
237 
249 
263 
271 
282 
290 
295 
302 
312 
319 
328 
335 



INDEX 



343 



LIST OF PHOTOGRAVURES 



Princess Catherine Radziwill . . Frontispiece 

FACING PACK 

H.M. Queen Victoria in 1893 .... 6 

The Right Hon. H. H. Asquith .... 20 

The Right Hon. Winston L. S. Churchill . . 20 

William I. of Prussia ...... 54 

Frederick III. or Prussia ..... 90 

Prince von Bismarck . . . . . .158 

Count von Moltke ....... 158 

Empress Frederick of Prussia .... 198 

Alexander III. of Russia ..... 224 

Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia . . . 224 



INTRODUCTION 

Frankness is not a useful quality ; and unfortunately 
I possess it, which fact has not contributed to make 
my life more smooth. But I have reached an age 
when the judgments of the crowd lose importance, 
and when one does not easily part with one's own 
opinions. I have had friends, and I have made 
enemies ; and whilst I care for the former, I never 
trouble about the latter. 

My experience of humanity has been varied ; but I 
am thankful to be able to say that it has not embittered 
me, because I hold that if only one's mind is made 
up not to expect too much from mankind, and to 
respect the selfishness which is the essential point in 
its general character, it is possible to get along most 
comfortably. It is in this consideration for the selfish- 
ness of one's neighbours that one can find the best 
means of getting on in the world. 

One is always considered pleasant when one neither 
expects nor asks anything of anybody ; and yet is 
willing to give without stint. If once this fact is 
recognised, one can afford to be amused at the kaleido- 
scopic spectacle which passes before the eyes of one 
who finds amusement in observing the hidden springs 
which move the marionettes of that large theatre called 
human life. 



x Introduction 

Personally I have found that spectacle most enter- 
taining, and delight in it to the present moment. It 
changes so constantly in its details, and yet is so un- 
changeable in its dramatic character, that one can well 
afford to forget oneself in watching it. 

When thus I wander in the past and try to think 
where I was happiest, it seems to me difficult to decide. 
Almost everywhere I have been I have met nice people ; 
and where sometimes this has not been the case, then 
I have hastened to forget. I knew I could not alter 
character, therefore why bother my mind with un- 
pleasant memories ? 

As to those whose descriptions appear in this book, 
I have painted them exactly as I saw them. I have 
tried not to be unfair, and I do not think I have been 
harsh in my judgments, though I may have shown 
myself severe. Severity is not unkindness, although 
it is often mistaken for such. Unkindness is cruel ; 
severity is just. I have endeavoured to be just — and 
I have not found it difficult to be so. 

I have begun these wanderings into a past full of 
agreeable hours with my impressions of England and 
the English. My motive has been twofold. First, 
because my book being published in England it should 
be of particular interest to English-speaking peoples 
to read a foreigner's impressions. My second reason 
is that I have the sincere conviction that nowhere as 
in England exists such a spirit of all-round good fellow- 
ship and toleration. 

The second part of my book concerns itself with 
Germany, my home for many years. 

The period during which I lived in Berlin was an 



Introduction xi 

education in itself. I saw many curious things, and 
met many remarkable people. 

Circumstances following upon my father's death 
made me leave the German capital. I would not be 
speaking the truth if I said that I was sorry for this. 
I have certainly no reason to regret the years which 
I spent in Berlin. People were most amiable to me ; 
the Royal Family treated me with a kindness for 
which I shall remain for ever grateful. 

After I left Berlin, I was thrown into a different 
circle altogether, which certainly was more congenial 
to me, because I happened to be an actor — not a mere 
spectator — in the drama of life such as it presented 
itself there. Then came journeys in foreign countries, 
acquaintances with other persons, all the vicissitudes 
of a varied and interesting life, which happily for me 
has left me unembittered. 

I was not sorry, however, when circumstances 
brought me back to the land of my birth, to the Russia 
I loved so dearly, and to which so many family ties 
bound me. My father and grandfather had served 
Russia faithfully and long. My wanderings led me to 
St. Petersburg, which, because of recent events, has 
been rechristened Petrograd. 

I was very fond of St. Petersburg and its society, 
and found myself thoroughly at home. People were 
undoubtedly far less formal than in Berlin. It was 
therefore with feelings of unmixed pleasure that I 
took a house, and settled in the capital of Russia. 
I had already spent several seasons in Russia and 
had enjoyed them thoroughly, especially the weeks 
which I passed in Moscow, at the time of the Coronation 



xii Introduction 

of the late Emperor. These years have remained in 
my recollection surrounded with a halo of joy and 
happiness which nothing has been able to efface, and 
it is therefore with infinite pleasure that I recall them. 
I have never been able to understand the famous 
lines of Dante when he says : 

"No greater woe 
Can be than to remember happy days." 

It seems to me, on the contrary, that it is soothing 
to the heart and mind to be able to look back on 
days when one thought that one had everything heart 
could desire. In truth, this world of ours is not such 
a bad place after all. Kind people are to be found ; 
generous folk too ; and my experience of sovereigns, 
which has been varied, has proved to me that nowhere, 
perhaps, can one meet with more generous instincts 
than amongst them. 

I firmly believe that as existence becomes more 
complicated, as events go on, as the struggle for life 
gets harder, as jealousies stand out with more acute- 
ness, the better and nobler qualities of human nature 
also shine more brilliantly than they did when every- 
thing seemed simple and easy in life. The world is 
changed, perhaps for better, perhaps for worse ; but 
it is quite certain that we have all become more serious 
than we were at the time of my youth, and this not- 
withstanding the " tango " and yet more recent 
crazes for excitement. 

Unknown heroisms still abound, customs pass and 
fashions change, but the soul of man remains immortal. 
After all, life is so short and eternity so long, that it 



Introduction xiii 

would be a great mistake to trouble ourselves about 
what happens here below. 

People may call me a philosopher ; they will never 
be able to think me a misanthrope, for indeed the 
faculty of enjoyment exists in me just as intensely as 
in the days of my youth. And, standing on the thres- 
hold of old age, I am glad to say that I have lived and 
loved, suffered and been merry ; that my past has 
been sweet, though it has known bitter hours ; but 
there is not a single page in it I would care to tear 
away. 



PART I 
Memories of England 



Memories of Forty Years 



CHAPTER I 

MY VISIT TO ENGLAND 

IT is always with particular affection that my 
thoughts linger on that part of my remembrances 
which touches the numerous journeys I have made 
to England. After my own native Russia, it is the 
country I care for most ; it is the only one where one 
can live in the enjoyment of many small things that 
add to the pleasure of life, which there seem natural, 
whilst everywhere else one can only obtain them after 
a strenuous fight. 

My eldest daughter was presented at the Court of 
St. Petersburg in 1893, and we thought it to her advan- 
tage to take her to England, thus giving her the oppor- 
tunity of spending a season in London. Personally, I 
love England, though English politics have not always 
been to my liking, and I have always felt admiration 
for its vigour and the strong intellectual movement 
that has always characterised the whole course of 
English history. English science, English literature, 
English art, have always seemed to me to be imbued 
with far more personal, individual feeling than any- 
where else, perhaps on account of the fact that in no 

3 



Memories of Forty Years 

other country of the world has private independence 
of opinion been more carefully respected. 

English society, too, appeared to me to be built 
on stronger, healthier lines than in France, or even in 
my own beloved Russia, Men and women moved 
about with far more freedom and far less regard for 
those social hypocrisies and customs which one observes 
without respecting them. For a girl born and bred in 
a relatively small and narrow circle a visit to England 
was an education in itself, and I wanted my daughter 
to have this, so as to broaden her views, and to afford 
her a sight of life as it exists in that wide, wide world 
which London, more than any other place in the uni- 
verse, represents. 

We arrived in England in April, 1893, and spent 
three delightful months of the season in the vast 
metropolis that is so unique and so different from 
anywhere else in Europe. We certainly enjoyed our 
visit — I perhaps more than my daughter, because she 
was still too young and inexperienced to appreciate 
the grandeur of all that she saw and amidst which she 
moved during our stay in London. But yet she, too, 
was impressed by that dear, old, merry England and 
the infinite resources it offers to the thinker and the 
philosopher, the poet and the artist, the man of science 
and the man of pleasure, the politician and the writer, 
to all those who look beyond the present moment and 
the present day for their instruction and their judg- 
ments. 

As for myself, I must own that I carried away the 
pleasantest impressions of those few weeks. London, 
even if one knows no one in it, is a place where 

4 



The Fascination of London 

it is impossible to remain dull. I have spent hours 
roaming in Westminster Abbey, meditating over the 
multitude of historical incidents that are associated 
with it and inseparable from its name. And the 
treasures of the National Gallery, the British Museum, 
and other places of less world-wide fame would be in 
themselves sufficient to satisfy the most ambitious 
wishes and help the stranger to spend his time profit- 
ably and usefully. 

But when one has friends amidst that refined, 
polished society, then indeed one enjoys oneself as 
nowhere else in the world. For a Russian, coming 
from a country where life runs on such very different 
lines from those of England, such a visit is most 
refreshing to the mind and healthy to the soul. At 
least, that is what I have always felt when in London. 

Politics at that time were respected, which at 
present they are not. The tide of democracy has, un- 
fortunately, also invaded England. She has lost her 
greatest politicians of the Victorian days, those who 
had kept the traditions which Burghley and Walsing- 
ham fought for in the time of Elizabeth, and of Pitt 
and of Fox in later reigns. Gladstone was then alive, 
and the gigantic figure of Lord Salisbury was com- 
manding the political horizon with its imposing mag- 
nitude. Mr. Balfour still represented the hopes of the 
Conservatives, just as much as Lord Rosebery was 
considered by the Liberal party to be the one great 
man of the future. Mr. Lloyd George had not come 
above the horizon, and scarcely any outsiders had 
penetrated into the exclusive ranks of society ; even 
American millionaires were not yet considered indis- 

5 



Memories of Forty Years 

pensable to the welfare of London's smart circles. It 
is true that Baron Hirsch was to be met at some 
great houses, such as the stately home of the lovely 
Duchess of Devonshire ; but then he was looked upon 
by many as an unnecessary evil, whereas to-day he 
would be considered as an unavoidable one. 

Some hostesses, like the late Lady Salisbury, held 
strong opinions as to who could or could not be admitted 
to their entertainments, and even the necessities of 
political life did not make them yield, whatever might 
be the party exigencies. I remember an amusing story 
that was told me at Hatfield House about Sir Philip 
Currie, who had persistently implored Lady Salisbury 
to send a card for one of her " At Homes " to a certain 
important supporter of the Conservative party in 
some obscure provincial town. The Marchioness 
always refused, until at last Sir Philip— who, let it 
be said en passant, always managed to get his own 
way whenever he had some particular aim in view — 
ended by declaring that he could vouch that the 
person in question would simply place the card on 
his mantelpiece, and never dare to put in an appear- 
ance at the Foreign Office. When Lady Salisbury 
asked him how he could undertake the responsibility 
of making such a statement, he declared that he could 
do so because he happened to know that the man 
for whom he was begging the invitation did not 
possess any evening clothes. The argument proved 
successful, because the card was sent ; but I cannot 
say whether the person who received it abstained 
from making use of it for the reason put forward by 
Sir Philip Currie. 

6 



A Glimpse of Queen Victoria 

Looking over some old letters and diaries referring 
to that London season, I find in one of them a few 
remarks concerning my impressions of what I saw, 
and especially about a garden party at Marlborough 
House, given in honour of the marriage of the Duke 
of York, now King George V., at which I had the 
honour of seeing Queen Victoria again. Writing to 
a friend of mine, after whose death my correspondence 
with her was returned to me, I find the following 
description of the Queen, which may prove interest- 
ing, considering the fact that it was not destined for 
publication, but represented exactly the impression 
produced upon my mind by her personality. 

" I did not think that the Queen, at the advanced 
age she has reached, would have preserved such an 
imposing appearance. There is in her small, rather 
bent figure a quiet dignity that would single her out 
at once as a queen, in spite of the extreme simplicity 
of her dress, as well as of her demeanour, which is 
that of an elderly woman. The sound of her voice is the 
same as ever, and reminds one so much of the dear 
Empress Frederick. The eyes are frank and sincere, and 
they look at you with an expression of intense truth ; 
but they are imperious, and reveal a character that does 
not brook contradiction. 

" She arrived rather late, and after having been 
driven round the grounds in a kind of small pony 
carriage, she sat down in a tent that had been arranged 
for her, where she had some tea, reclining in an arm- 
chair and keeping in her hand a stick upon which 
she leaned when walking. 

" The Royal Family surrounded her, and it seemed 

7 



Memories of Forty Years 

to me that they stood somewhat in awe of her. The 
sight of that aged lady in her simple dress who repre- 
sented so much power, so much might, and who 
bore the burden with such utter lack of affectation, 
was certainly very impressive, perhaps more so 
than if she had appeared in her crown and royal 
robes. 

" A few days later I saw her again driving to St. 
James's Palace in her gilded coach on the occasion 
of the wedding of her grandson. Our windows opened 
on Piccadilly, and we could watch the procession as 
it moved slowly along amid the cheers of the crowds 
that lined the streets. The Princess of Wales, with 
whom was our Grand Duke Tsarevitch and the King 
and Queen of Denmark, was welcomed with great 
effusion ; but all the enthusiasm of the mob seemed 
directed towards the bride in her white attire and 
the Queen, opposite whom sat the Duchess of Teck. 
One could at once see how very popular is Queen 
Victoria among her subjects, perhaps because no other 
sovereign has understood so well how to appeal to their 
inmost feelings and to associate them with all her 
joys and sorrows, as so consistently she does. 

" I would not say it aloud, for fear of being charged 
with using exaggerated language ; but, in my eyes, 
Queen Victoria appears in the light of an exceedingly 
fascinating woman, in spite of her years. There is 
in her face, even more than in that of her daughter, 
the Empress Frederick, an extreme charm. It is 
seen, too, in her eyes and her voice ; her whole person, 
in fact, expresses great sympathy, just as much as 
it demands it, and to that must be added the prestige 

8 



Queen Mary's Happy Girlhood 

of the traditions which she embodies, the grandeur 
which she represents." 

It was not only Queen Victoria who impressed me 
during my stay in London. In a certain sense I was 
struck by the simplicity of the whole Royal Family, 
so different were they from our own Grand Dukes. 
The Duchess of Teck especially remains in my mind 
as a vivid example of affability and kindness com- 
bined with simple dignity. Anything more pleasant 
than her welcome when we called upon her at White 
Lodge could not be found, and one quite forgot whilst 
there that one was in the home of Royalty, so entirely 
free from etiquette it seemed. And one of the happiest 
of that united family was Princess May, the present 
Queen of England. Ever since she has shared the 
throne she has been an example of what a queen should 
be in every possible way ; but she certainly owes 
much to the wonderful education she received under 
the superintendence of her accomplished mother, who 
has placed the whole of England under a debt of deep 
gratitude for the care she took in bringing up her 
daughter to fill the place she so worthily occupies. 

Talking of White Lodge reminds me of an adven- 
ture that befell us one Sunday when we called there. 
We had been invited by my present son-in-law, Prince 
Bliicher, to dine that evening with him at the Star 
and Garter, Richmond, and we decided to start a 
little earlier so as to be able to pay our respects to 
the Duke and Duchess of Teck during the afternoon. 
After we had brushed the dust off our clothes I asked 
the porter of the Star and Garter to call a carriage. 
Hearing this, Prince Bliicher, always on economy 

9 



Memories of Forty Years 

bent, declared that it would be far too expensive, and 
that he would go himself and get us a fly, for " half 
the money this man will require," he energetically 
added. It was impossible to prevent him putting this 
virtuous intention into execution, and perforce we sat 
down in the hall and waited for his return. In about 
fifteen minutes he reappeared with the dirtiest, most 
disreputable-looking vehicle it has ever been my for- 
tune to see. When I perceived it I began protest- 
ing energetically, and declared that we could not 
possibly enter the gates of White Lodge in such a dis- 
graceful conveyance, to which Prince Blucher declared 
that we need not do that, and could leave the sorry- 
looking object outside. Time was pressing, so, gather- 
ing our skirts together, we jumped into this filthy 
carriage, which we were very careful to abandon within 
reasonable distance of the ducal residence", where we 
made our appearance in the guise of peaceful pedes- 
trians. 

Everything went well at first ; but when we took 
leave of the kindly, amiable Duchess, the Duke said 
he would have our carriage called on to the lawn 
in front of the house. We immediately protested 
with touching unanimity, that we had no carriage, 
which was not such an untruth after all, and that we 
intended returning to the Star and Garter on foot, 
just as we had come. " Oh, in that case," said the 
Duke, " I shall take you down to the gate at least." 
In a fit of desperation I begged him to abstain from 
doing so, saying it was really too good of him, and 
that for nothing in the world would we give him such 
trouble ; but my protestations were useless, the Duke 

10 



The Duke of Teck's Courtesy 

proved adamant, and insisted on walking down to the 
road with us, where the miserable fly that had won 
the heart of my son-in-law by its cheapness was wait- 
ing. When the driver saw us, what did he imme- 
diately do but start his horse and come to meet 
us ! At first we pretended we did not see him ; but 
the man was resolute, and, to my intense consterna- 
tion, began calling us by name. " Why, what does 
this creature want from vou ? " asked the Duke of 
Teck, upon which, overcome by my feelings, I sat 
down on a stile by the road and burst out laughing ; 
for, finding that truth is always best, and that we had 
failed in observing the eleventh commandment and 
had been found out, we related the whole story to 
His Highness, who joined in our mirth with the good 
nature which was one of his characteristics. 

It was about that time, shortly before the marriage 
of the Duke of York, that the ship Victoria went down 
in the Mediterranean, together with brave Admiral 
Tryon and so many others. A State ball was to be 
given at Buckingham Palace the next day ; but it 
was immediately countermanded by order of the 
Queen, who thus showed her keen sense of the mis- 
fortune that had befallen her Navy. My daughter 
was disappointed at the loss of this opportunity to be 
present at a Court ball in England ; but, thanks to 
the kindness of Baron de Staal, the Russian Ambassa- 
dor, we were invited to another, which was attended 
by our Grand Duke Tsarevitch, who had arrived in 
England a few days before for the marriage of his 
cousin, the present King George, with Princess May 

of Teck. 

11 



Memories of Forty Years 

I cannot say that I was very much impressed by 
the inside of Buckingham Palace. It seems that now 
it is immensely improved, and arranged with much 
better taste than during the reign of Queen Victoria. 
In 1893 its decoration had evidently not been altered 
since Prince Albert had designed it, after his marriage 
with the Queen. The supper room during the ball 
was the scene of a terrible crush, so that it was next 
to impossible to find even a sandwich to eat ; but the 
entertainment itself was regal, by reason of the pomp 
that accompanied it, as well as by the splendid uni- 
forms, beautiful dresses, wonderful jewels, and lovely 
women, the equal of which I have never seen in any 
other city. The procession of the Royal Family as 
it entered the ballroom was most interesting, and the 
quaintness of the Palace added to the beauty of the 
scene. 

I remember having a lengthy conversation during 
that ball with the late Duke of Argyll, then Marquis of 
Lome, who had known my father and mother-in-law 
when he had been in Berlin following his course of 
education. The Duke was a quiet, rather shy man, 
highly cultured, exceedingly well read, and versed in 
everything that was connected with history and litera- 
ture. The Princess Louise was the most attractive of 
all the daughters of the Queen, and, though tall and 
elegant, reminded me more than did her other sisters 
of the Empress Frederick, whose sweet voice and 
lovely eyes she possessed. Her conversation was most 
amusing, and she used to tell anecdotes in a very enter- 
taining manner. For instance, one evening after a 
dinner at the house of Lady Burghclere, then Lady 

12 



Wedding of King George 

Winifred Gardner, the pretty, clever daughter of the 
late Earl of Carnarvon, the Princess Louise, who was 
present, related to us how one day, hearing that the 
old Duchess of Cleveland prided herself upon having 
once been pretty, she had asked the Queen whether 
this had been really the case, to which Her Majesty 
had replied, " Yes, my dear ; but it only lasted one 
moment." 

The marriage of the Duke of York was during the 
summer of 1893, and the one subject of conversation. 
On the evening of the day on which it took place we 
were invited by the present Dowager Lady Tweeddale 
to view the illuminations in the City. We arrived at 
London Bridge, and we somehow, together with my 
daughter, M. Kroupensky, the Councillor of the 
Russian Embassy, now Ambassador in Rome, and a 
young Russian officer, Count Kreutz, became sepa- 
rated from our other companions and had to walk 
back to the West End, thus missing a supper at the 
hospitable house of Baron Alfred Rothschild, where 
we had been invited. In one sense I did not regret 
this somewhat fatiguing incident, because it impressed 
on my mind the great spirit of order that is such a 
distinctive feature in the character of the English. 
The streets were thronged with people ; so full were 
the thoroughfares that a pin, if it had fallen, would 
not have reached the ground ; and yet nowhere was 
order in the least infringed upon, not the slightest 
sign of disorder was to be noticed. No policeman 
was even in sight. Such a thing would have been 
impossible in any other country except England, and 
it could not fail to deeply impress any foreigner. 

13 



CHAPTER II 

ENGLISH POLITICAL CIRCLES 

IN the year of grace 1894 the Liberal party was in 
power, and Mr. Gladstone Prime Minister. His 
colleagues in the Ministry were all clever, and did not 
yet include men outside the upper ten, such as Mr. 
Lloyd George, or even adventurous scions of noble 
houses, like Mr. Winston Churchill. 

Mr. Asquith, who was Home Secretary, if I am not 
mistaken, was considered the rising star of his party, 
and was very much talked about; partly, I believe, 
on account of his marriage with Miss Margot Tennant, 
the heroine of E. F. Benson's delightful book, " Dodo." 
He had not yet succeeded in arousing the enmities 
that crowd around him at present, and there were still 
people among the Conservatives who reluctantly ad- 
mitted that he was a very clever man, in spite of 
their indignation against all the supporters of Home 
Rule. 

I found him something more than clever ; I found 
him a man with not only a broad intelligence, but one 
who could look at things with a broader outlook than 
the average Englishman. Mr. Asquith has studied 
social questions at home as well as in other countries, 
has read every book published on the subject, and if 
he does not govern Great Britain according to the 

14 



Mr. Asquith's Personality 

tastes of his opponents, he tries to do it conscien- 
tiously, and at least has brought vast knowledge and 
erudition to the task he has assumed. 

As a companion and neighbour at dinner, Mr. 
Asquith has always been quite delightful and most 
entertaining, a superior mind, and a pleasant talker, 
who knew how to give a particular interest to all 
questions which he handled, even the driest. He 
possesses, too, a natural dignity and a quiet courage. 
These enabled him to reply with indifference to the 
storms of abuse which were showered upon his head, 
even at that earlier time when Suffragettes were still 
unknown. His long experience at the Bar had given 
him considerable insight into the human mind, and 
hardened him in a certain sense ; but it had not 
hardened his heart nor destroyed his sympathies for 
the cause of the public good, which he considered it 
his duty as a Minister of the Crown to forward to the 
best of his abilities. 

Before relating my impressions of others of Mr. 
Gladstone's circle I will speak of my first meeting with 
him. It must be conceded to Mr. Gladstone that he 
had known how to surround himself with very clever 
colleagues ; his whole Cabinet was composed of seri- 
ous, and each in his own way, remarkable men. John 
Morley, now Viscount Morley, was perhaps the one I 
admired the most among them, and whenever I met 
him I endeavoured to induce him to sit by me and 
engage in conversation. It was not always easy, 
as London during the season is a place where it is 
impossible to sit down except at dinner, life being a 
constant rush from one house to another, rest 

15 



Memories of Forty Years 

being only possible in one's carriage or in one's bed 
when one happens to find time to sleep. 

John Morley's mind was far stronger than Glad- 
stone's, and his intelligence certainly superior to the 
Grand Old Man's, being at the same time more serious 
and more practical. He did not indulge in Utopian 
dreams ; he was a statesman, a thinker, a writer of 
great and real merit, and a scholar who found in 
study a solace for all his cares. He was a staunch 
Liberal of the old Whig school, but somehow gave 
me the impression of not being such an admirer of his 
chief as was generally believed, and this in spite of 
the book which he consecrated to his memory. 

It seems to me even now that his admiration was 
given rather to the principles of the party, of which 
Mr. Gladstone was the leader, than exclusively to 
Gladstone himself. Morley was perhaps the one man 
among those whom I have met who knew history the 
most thoroughly, and by the word " history " I do 
not mean exclusively English history, but that of 
Europe in general. His judgments, if less impartial 
than were Ranke's for instance, reminded me of those 
of the latter, for he never allowed prejudice to interfere 
with his appreciation of great men's actions or deeds. 
I remember one night talking with him about Mignet's 
history of Mary Stuart, and he admitted that it was 
a very interesting work, adding a remark I have never 
forgotten, and which was an excellent characteristic 
of the work of the French historian : " It is a pity that 
whilst showing himself relatively just in his judgment 
of the conduct of that Queen, he spoilt the effect of 
his whole work by not closing it with the account of 

16 



Lord and Lady Kimberley 

her execution. Instead, he added some pages of appre- 
ciation and remarks that detract from the strength of 
his description of her last hours." 

The remark was perfectly true, and re-reading the 
book I found myself often thinking of what he said. 
But then M. Mignet was a Frenchman, and French 
authors always add sentimental remarks where they 
are not needed. The solemnity attending great calam- 
ities, which it is always better to relate simply and 
without comment, is unknown to them, and if I may 
say so, one sees that the influence which Shakespeare's 
genius exercised on English, German, and, in a certain 
sense, Russian literature is absent in French writing. 

The Secretary for India, Lord Kimberley, was a 
diplomat of the ancient school, at the same time a 
representative of a type of old Whig which is fast 
dying out, if it has not died out entirely. He was a 
little pompous, a little stiff, though extremely cour- 
teous — a man who looked most seriously on politics, 
identifying them perhaps too much with those of the 
party to which he belonged, but incapable of the in- 
trigues to which modern diplomacy, unfortunately, is 
prone in these degenerate days. He could not be 
anything else but a gentleman. He was true, loyal, 
sincere, and any interests confided to his care were 
well attended to and entirely safe in his hands. He 
was a charming talker when he gave himself that 
trouble, and a most pleasant host to his guests ; a 
man one liked to meet, and who would not soon be 
forgotten. 

As for Lady Kimberley, I was extremely fond of 
her. She was not generally popular, on account of her 

c 17 



Memories of Forty Years 

very sharp manner, and was terribly dreaded, especi- 
ally by women. But she was the cleverest, most 
amusing person to talk to, a delightful companion, 
full of wit and humour, bright and caustic. She could 
seize unerringly upon the funny side of every question, 
and notice the various oddities of other people as 
well as her own. 

I remember that at the Queen's drawing-room I 
happened to be standing not far from her. After the 
Diplomatic Corps had made its curtsy to the Princess 
of Wales, and taken up its position opposite the throne, 
whilst the general public filed past, she beckoned me 
to her, and kept making remarks on the various people 
present, with such wit and irony that I had the greatest 
difficulty to prevent myself laughing outright, which 
delighted the old lady, who, I believe, would have 
given a good deal to see me offend the solemnity of 
the occasion by an outburst of mirth. 

Lady Kimberley was fond of me — why, I have 
never been able to discover. She was extremely kind, 
and invited me to her house several times. I must 
say I quite reciprocated the feeling, and was very sorry 
when, shortly after I had left London, I heard of her 
death. 

Mr. Gladstone had another great nobleman in his 
Cabinet, the Marquis of Ripon ; a statesman of unblem- 
ished character, high honour, stainless reputation, and 
moral courage, that rare thing nowadays, which he 
showed at the crisis of his political life, when he boldly 
renounced the Anglican faith to enter the Roman 
communion. 

I cannot say he was a man of extraordinary intelli- 

18 



Mr. Winston Churchill 

gence, and I believe it was more to the importance 
of his position than to his personal capacities that 
he owed his political successes and career. But the 
integrity of his conduct, the sincerity of his opinions, 
which never allowed him to be drawn into any in- 
trigue that would compromise his party, made him 
an exceedingly valuable supporter, and inspired in 
others a confidence which perhaps they would not have 
awarded to the same extent to Mr. Gladstone, who 
was well advised when he invited Lord Ripon to enter 
his Cabinet as Secretary of State for India. 

At that time Mr. Winston Churchill had just 
emerged from the schoolroom, and none, except his 
intimate friends, would have supposed he was going 
one day to become so important a personage. 

I remember meeting him at Ford Manor, the house 
of Mrs. Beresford Melville, the mother of Mr. Spender 
Clay. She asked us once to spend a week-end with 
her. Winston Churchill was scarcely more than a 
boy, but just as exuberant as he is now. Perhaps less 
so, though, because he had not yet taken himself quite 
an serieux, and had yet to drink from the cup of success. 
He had all the brightness and cleverness and eccen- 
tricity which distinguishes the Churchills. Even then 
he was most amusing and entertaining, and liked to 
talk about his future career, being already convinced 
that he was to become Prime Minister of a regenerated 
England, whose prophet was to be the great Duke of 
Marlborough, and whose recognised divinity the omni- 
potence of the Churchills in every possible event con- 
nected with its existence and prosperity. 

The impudence of that younger scion of this illus- 

19 



Memories of Forty Years 

trious house bordered on the marvellous, and was most 
amusing to watch. It was an education in itself to 
listen to him ; it opened new horizons as to what 
modern youth can rise to ; and between his disdainful 
insouciance, his ready wit, his vanity, and the real 
cleverness which he undoubtedly possessed, he made a 
delightful creature, whose acquaintance provided one 
with incessant and constantly renewed enjoyment, 
whom one was longing to meet again, but devoutly 
thankful not to possess among the members of one's 
own family. 

I was once talking about him with my old friend, 
Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff, and wondering at the 
exuberance which characterised the personality of the 
son of Lord Randolph Churchill, about whom he had 
often spoken to me, but whom I had never met. He 
summed Winston up in a manner that I cannot help 
recalling here. " Winston," he said, "is a curious 
mixture of American impudence and English caution, 
and I feel sure that later on his wildest acts in life will 
be very wisely premeditated." I have often remem- 
bered this appreciation from a man who had perhaps 
more closely studied human nature than most of his 
contemporaries. 

Sir Mountstuart in general was a keen observer, 
and his characteristic observations of the people whom 
he knew were always interesting, and very seldom 
mistaken. I thus remember his writing to me after 
the death of Sir Robert Morier, who had been for some 
years English Ambassador in St. Petersburg, the follow- 
ing lines, which perhaps describe that remarkable man 
better than anything that has ever been said about him : 

20 



Among the Historians 

" Poor Morier has gone at last. You must have 
known him. In one respect he rose to the ideal which 
I keep before the minds of my sons, and of all young 
diplomatists whom I know. He took trouble, and a 
great deal of trouble, to understand the countries in 
which he served, but in many other ways he left 
much to be desired, while his temper was that of a 
demon. 

" We were at Balliol together from 1847-49, though 
he was a couple of years or a trifle more my senior, 
and we were often in close sympathy in political and 
economic questions ; very intimate acquaintances, 
though never exactly friends. He was too capricious 
and self-willed to be capable of friendship, save per- 
haps for Jowett, through whom it was that he ever 
became homme serieux at all." 

There was one person I always liked to see when- 
ever I happened to be in London, and that was Lecky, 
the critic and historian. Lecky possessed the quality 
of exercising a peculiar fascination over those who 
knew him well. His conversation was never trivial, 
never dull, never commonplace, even when it covered 
commonplace subjects. Whenever I used to see him 
at any of the parties at which I was present, I tried 
to get near him at the first opportunity. He was 
a charming man, and one from whom one could 
not fail to learn something in some way or other. 
Mrs. Lecky, who was Dutch by birth, made a fitting 
companion for her distinguished husband, and in her 
way possessed just such a remarkable mind as he did. 
They used to give dinners that were delightful, and 
luncheons that were still more pleasant, because one 

21 



Memories of Forty Years 

could then see them at their best, and enjoy their 
society better than at any large party. 

I did not meet many journalists in London, with 
the exception of one who is remembered to this day 
by all who knew him. I mean Moberly Bell, the 
manager of The Times, with his leonine head, his loud 
voice and domineering personality. Moberly Bell went 
everywhere, and knew everybody, and entertained 
everybody of note at dinners which were as amusing 
as they were execrable. He invited about three times 
as many people as his rooms would contain, but no 
one ever dreamed of refusing, for there one would 
meet all the leading men and politicians in England, 
with a good sprinkling of foreigners, together with the 
loveliest women and the smartest men in London. 

Who has forgotten Moberly Bell ? He had man- 
aged to create for himself quite a unique position, 
and was more and better initiated into all the in- 
tricacies of foreign politics than many diplomats and 
statesmen. He had just enough love for intrigue to 
care for every kind of gossip, and just enough dis- 
cretion to refrain from showing how much he knew — 
or guessed ; for he used to guess a good deal. A most 
cheerful companion and excellent host, he contrived 
to make it the fashion to visit his house, and under 
the pretext of having strict Conservative principles, 
had more than once procured the support of the Thun- 
derer to the Liberal party. At The Times office he was 
execrated, as he was supposed to have changed the 
spirit and direction of the paper, and to have intro- 
duced a taint of commercialism that previously had 
been unknown within its precincts. He was essentially 

22 



Lord and Lady Reay 

a man of his time, caring for nothing but success : 
determined, bold, keenly enterprising, but kind and 
genial, and quite content to know that he was a power 
in his way, with whom other powers had to reckon. 

Mrs. Moberly Bell was a charming woman, a keen 
observer, and possessed wonderful tact. She never 
intruded or imposed herself on anyone, but under her 
exquisite courtesy there lay a good deal of personal 
intelligence which rendered her in tete-a-tete talks ex- 
tremely entertaining. 

There are many other people about whom I should 
like to say something— people who helped to make 
London the delightful place it was. Space fails me, 
and yet there are many names which come back to 
my memory, each worthy of a special chapter. For 
instance, Lady Stanley of Alderley, who at eighty-five 
or eighty-six used to go out to dinner and enjoy life 
more than many girls of eighteen ; Lady Dorothy 
Nevill, whose witty books have given us so good an 
idea of what society was in the middle and latter part 
of last century ; Lord and Lady Reay : he a poet, a 
scholar, a man of letters, and a member of many aca- 
demies, a Dutchman by birth and an Englishman by 
education, who spoke French like a native ; and his 
wife, stately, polite, fond of entertaining and exceedingly 
generous. Their house was one of the most hospitable 
in London, and their dinners and lunches had no equal. 
And Hamilton Aide, that novelist who was so essen- 
tially a man of the world that no reception seemed 
complete without his presence. And Sir Henry Stanley, 
the traveller, who was lionised by society until his 
death, but whom I disliked. 

23 



Memories of Forty Years 

One other notability I should mention who was 
associated with Gladstone. At the time I first met 
him, Lord Rosebery was at the zenith of his fame, 
having won the Derby and awaiting the moment 
when he should be called to take the place of Mr. 
Gladstone. He is a man of refined tastes, great erudi- 
tion, a politician more by chance than by real ambi- 
tion. He reminded me of a man who was eager to 
rise, but who, having done so, was unable to remain 
on the height to which, more than his own efforts, 
events had carried him. Lord Rosebery was the his- 
torian who perhaps had been the first Englishman to 
understand the psychology of the great Napoleon ; 
but he was an accidental statesman, in whom strong 
principles were missing, convictions were wanting, and 
in whom a curious mixture of lassitude and energy 
had combated until they had made him a failure and 
politically buried him before his time. 

All these folk whom I watched pass by were full 
of interest to me, and perhaps in that agglomeration 
of remarkable and curious men and women gathered 
together in one place, London is a unique spot. In 
other countries one can find, perhaps, just as many 
learned and clever persons ; but then they live in vari- 
ous parts, mostly in a set of their own, where it is next 
to impossible for the outsider to obtain an entrance, 
whereas in London one meets them at every turn. 

Once at a garden party — I cannot just remember 
where — my attention was directed to a small, rather 
stout person, who spoke and moved with that free- 
dom which belongs to people who know they have 
become famous. When I asked who it was, the reply 

24 



Two Famous Novelists 

rather staggered me. It was Miss Marie Corelli, whom 
I had been longing to know, and whose wonderful book, 
" Barabbas," had moved me so deeply. I was the 
more astonished, I expect, because her personality 
was so different from what, in my mind, I had pictured 
it. I had imagined a tall, slim, lily-like woman, with 
a soft voice and dreamy eyes, and I was consider- 
ably amused to discover how far from my expecta- 
tion was this author, who undoubtedly possessed a 
wonderful genius which could move her readers in- 
tensely. 

There is another woman among the authors of 
the latter half of last century whom I knew rather 
well, but in Florence. I mean " Ouida," whose books 
made such a stir at one time. She was a most original 
person, who possessed power and strength in her 
writings, although some of her books were too exag- 
gerated to influence those who read them. " Ouida " 
was essentially a sympathetic person, if only through 
her love for animals, her pity for everything that 
suffered, and for every human misery or affliction. 

Decidedly London was a charming place, and 
among the many memories that crowd one upon 
another in my already long life, those connected with 
my numerous journeys in England rank among the 
most pleasant, and are those I like best to dwell upon. 



25 



CHAPTER III 

MORE ENGLISH IMPRESSIONS 

WE went much about London during the three 
months we spent there, and saw almost every- 
thing and everybody worth seeing. Among the people 
with whom I became more intimate was my friend 
Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff, formerly Governor of 
Madras. He lived within easy distance from London, 
at York House, Twickenham, and used to give pleas- 
ant little Sunday parties. This historic mansion had 
been the home of Anne Hyde, the first wife of 
James II., and later on had sheltered the exiled 
Orleans family. Lady Grant Duff was also an ami- 
able woman, rather rigid, and with less broadness of 
view in her character than her husband, but very 
highly cultured, intelligent though shy, and com- 
pletely overawed by her eldest daughter, an enter- 
prising young lady who was a perfect example of 
what a latter-day girl wishes to be. 

Sir Mountstuart was one of the gentlest men I 
have ever met. He had an undercurrent of dreamy 
philosophy, allied to that high serenity one meets 
only in very lofty characters. He was a lover of 
everything beautiful, everything good, everything that 
rose above the usual fret of earthly existence. He 
was not a man of action, and it was difficult to believe 

26 



Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff 

he could ever have played a part in the political life 
of his country ; he seemed so much more fit to spend 
his time thinking about the great people he had met 
and the great books he had read, among the lovely 
roses of his peaceful garden. 

I often took opportunity to visit York House, 
and we remained in correspondence with its master 
for a long time. He had been a great friend and 
admirer of Renan, about whom he has written a 
book which I think is the best character study that 
has ever been made of the French writer, whose turn 
of mind harmonised so well with that of Sir Mount- 
stuart Grant Duff's, though Renan's, perhaps, had 
more objectivity in it, but with just as much indul- 
gence. After his admiration for Renan's books Sir 
Mountstuart cared for a little volume that drew on 
the head of its author so many curses from the Roman 
clergy. It was that essentially Catholic, pious book, 
Mrs. Augustus Craven's " Recit d'une Sceur " ; it seemed 
about the last work that could have appealed to a crit- 
ical Protestant mind. But then, was Sir Mountstuart a 
Protestant ? He always appeared to me to represent 
the perfect type of a religious freethinker, of one who 
worshipped God in His works, who rejected supersti- 
tion in whatever shape or form it presented itself to 
him, and who liked to pray where it appealed to him 
to do so, without inquiring as to the creed of the 
church where he had found his Maker present. He, 
rather, only saw in it the place where the divine spark 
had touched him and made him bend the knee before 
a divinity he believed in. 

Very different from my old friend was Mr. Glad- 

27 



Memories of Forty Years 

stone, whom I met for the first time at a dinner given 
at the Russian Embassy. The moment I had been 
introduced, the words of Merimee concerning him re- 
curred to my mind, when he had written after having 
been asked to stay at Hawarden for a week-end : 

" Mr. Gladstone produced on me the impression 
of being at times a man of genius, and at others a 
child." Further on he added : " There is in him 
something of the child, of the statesman, and of the 
madman." 

And certainly the framing of the Home Rule Bill 
justified this appreciation. 

Personally, I have never understood the great 
charm which Mr. Gladstone was supposed to possess. 
It is true that I have never heard him speak in public, 
but in private life he had the habit, which jarred 
considerably on the nerves of those with whom he 
happened to be surrounded, of talking with them as if 
he were speaking to the whole world. One could feel 
that the people with whom he was entertaining him- 
self were only for him accessory beings ; he was think- 
ing the whole time of the impression which he pro- 
duced on the world in general, and even on those to 
whom he did not directly address himself. He was 
continually listening to his own voice and looking 
around him in order to notice whether Peter, with 
whom he had nothing to do, had listened and was 
admiring his words just as much as Paul, to whom they 
had been addressed, and with whom he was discussing 
some question or other. 

This seemed to me to be an inferior trait in the 
character of a statesman, and it explains perhaps why 

28 



Queen Victoria and Mr. Gladstone 

he never succeeded in imposing his personality even 
upon his own friends and supporters with the strength 
displayed, for instance, by Lord Beaconsfield who, very 
differently from him, would have taken the same care 
to convince a six-year-old child of what he wanted 
him to learn as any political assembly before which 
he had to unfold a development in the system of 
government. 

The weak point in Mr. Gladstone's personality was 
his vanity and the admiration it inspired him to enter- 
tain for his own perfections. He believed seriously 
in everything concerning himself, even in the good 
intentions which he only imagined he possessed. He 
did not admit any weakness in his personality, not 
even that of his age. I am pretty sure that if he 
ever thought about his eighty-four or eighty-five 
years it was only in changing the order of their 
numerals. He possessed aspirations, but not real 
statesmanlike faculties, and was by instinct a kind of 
revolutionary individual who destroyed what he found 
in his way as naturally as he ate his dinner, but 
who, having received a refined education, imagined 
he was not a Radical, in the same way that cer- 
tain people imagine they are clean because they wash 
their hands. Whenever he took an idea into his 
head he would not see anything beyond it, he would 
listen to no advice or criticism, nor even hear reason 
on what he was about to do. His attitude was like 
a firework which begins with a fuse and ends in 
smoke. 

Queen Victoria bore with him, whilst abominating 
him in the secrecy of her soul, and whenever she found 

29 



Memories of Forty Years 

herself in his presence she used to confine herself 
strictly to her position of a Constitutional Sovereign, 
refusing to discuss with him any political question. 
Her common sense, of which she had a considerable 
amount, suffered in having to witness the want of real 
logic which constituted the essence of Mr. Gladstone's 
character, and she realised but too well that in poli- 
tics it is impossible to be ruled by words or fine 
phrases. Eloquence alone has, perhaps, thrust a 
nation along one path or another, but it has never 
saved it from any ill or misfortune, and Queen Victoria 
was too sincere a patriot not to understand this fact. 

To give an idea of the hatred inspired by Mr. Glad- 
stone in certain Conservative circles, I will relate an 
anecdote that will illustrate it better than anything 
I could say. I had an old friend in the person of the 
late Lord Wharncliffe, regarding him as the per- 
sonification of a great English nobleman, whose wife, 
let it be said en passant, did not look upon me with 
over-indulgent eyes, and certainly did not exhibit any 
amiable feelings where I was concerned. Well, just 
before I left London I went to say good-bye to Lord 
Wharncliffe, whom I found suffering from a violent 
attack of gout. When I expressed to him my sym- 
pathy, he suddenly replied : " Yes, I am suffering very 
much ; but still one thing comforts me, that is the 
thought that it isn't the tenth part of what that old 
devil of a Gladstone will endure in hell ! ' : 

Mrs. Gladstone was also a peculiar sort of person ; 
any amount of humorous stories were related con- 
cerning her. I cannot help reproducing two of them, 
as they are rather out of the common, and have the 

30 



Life's Little Comedies 

merit of being funny. One day the Prime Minister 
and his wife had been asked to dine at Windsor Castle. 
The guests had all assembled, and the Queen herself 
had made her entrance, but Mrs. Gladstone was miss- 
ing. At last, getting impatient, Her Majesty was 
about to pass into the dining-room when, breathless 
and flurried, the consort of England's Premier entered, 
draped in a bath towel over which she had pinned a 
black lace shawl, more or less effectively. Very un- 
happy and distressed, she explained that her maid 
had forgotten to put into her trunk the bodice of her 
dress, and that she had been obliged to supply as well 
as she could the deficiency. 

As it was already long past the time when dinner 
ought to have been served, the Queen took her seat 
at once without further explanations, and the meal 
proceeded to its end ; but when leaving the dining- 
room the Princess Beatrice noticed something hang- 
ing on to Mrs. Gladstone's train, and asked her what 
it was. It turned out to be the missing bodice, that 
had been pinned on to its legitimate skirt, a fact 
which its owner had not perceived whilst dressing for 
dinner, through the usual hurry which characterised 
everything she did. 

The other story is rather more difficult to relate, 
and I must ask the reader's indulgence beforehand. 
One day Mr. Gladstone was to speak at a public meet- 
ing ; his wife, fearing he might get hungry, had 
provided herself with some sandwiches, which she 
carried with her to have ready in any case ; but, not 
knowing where she could put them without people 
noticing them, she at last decided to hide them in 

31 



Memories of Forty Years 

the bodice of her dress. Mr. Gladstone began his 
speech, when suddenly those sitting next to Mrs. 
Gladstone saw that she was getting very fidgety and 
looking most miserable. Inquiries elicited the fact 
that the heat had caused the unfortunate sandwiches, 
which were to refresh the Prime Minister, to become 
warm, and so the mustard they contained was pro- 
ducing on the bearer of them — for one could hardly 
call her anything else — the impression of a very large 
sinapism ! 

Whether these anecdotes were true or not it is 
difficult to say ; but poor Mrs. Gladstone, by her 
demeanour, savoured but too often of ridicule. Only 
her admiration for her William was most touching and 
sincere — more so, perhaps, than his repeated assur- 
ances of his great love for this faithful wife. 

Speaking about the Liberal Party reminds me of a 
charming definition which I heard Lord Beaconsfield 
make one day, and which is as delightful as all his 
sayings were. " A Conservative," he told me, "is a 
man who changes his shirt every day ; the Liberal 
does it once a week, and the Radical whenever he 
finds the opportunity." 

Poor Lord Beaconsfield had been dead a number 
of years at the time of the particular London season 
I am describing, but Lord Salisbury and his clever 
wife were still of this world and dispensed a truly 
royal hospitality at Hatfield House. I was very fond 
of Lady Salisbury, who had always treated me with 
the greatest kindness. She was in her way just as 
remarkable as her wonderful husband, full of humour 
and fun, never pedantic, nor overbearing ; indulgent 

32 



Stately Hatfield 

to others and so truly kind, in spite of her sharp 
tongue, which many people feared, though quite 
unjustly, because she would never have harmed any- 
one. She made a worthy mistress for her splendid 
castle and a noble successor to all the dames of high 
lineage that had preceded her. 

Hatfield is a grand place, full of historical remem- 
brances ; to begin with, a collection of arms that had 
belonged to the Armada, and ending with more modern 
souvenirs, which all bore witness to the important 
part the lords of that stately manor had played in the 
history of their country. When in the evening, at 
sunset, one sat on the terrace, with the old pile and its 
ivy-covered walls towering behind, impressions with- 
out number crowded on the mind and awoke memo- 
ries of noble deeds done and statesmanlike acts per- 
formed about which one had heard and read, and 
which suddenly took on an eerie reality that carried 
one back to long bygone and glorious times, when 
Queen Elizabeth had walked in the alleys of that 
park and ridden through the forests surrounding it. 

Of all the stately homes of England I have visited, 
none has left on me such an enduring impression as 
Hatfield House. Wollaton Hall was perhaps just as 
stately, Penshurst Place just as ancient, Knole just 
as full of remembrances ; but what made the particu- 
lar charm of Hatfield was to be found nowhere else, 
perhaps because nowhere else could one meet with 
such perfect harmony between a place and its owners. 
And whereas, so often, a master's death changes every- 
thing in the home where he moved, at Hatfield I feel 
sure such has not been the case, because the present 

d 33 



Memories of Forty Years 

Lord and Lady Salisbury are in their way just as 
remarkable personages as the famous Minister of 
Queen Victoria and his wife, and the spirit which 
pervaded the old domain of the Cecils must be as 
alive to-day as when, over twenty years ago, I was 
its guest and enjoyed the privilege of long conversa- 
tions with its master. 

Every memory I have of London is full of exceed- 
ing interest. I do not think that in any other city 
one can find such a number of clever and highly cul- 
tured and intelligent people gathered together as is 
the case during the few weeks of the London season. 
England's metropolis draws back to it whoever has 
once learned to know it and to taste its pleasures. 
My daughter, in spite of her extreme youth, felt this 
just as much as I did, and it was with renewed interest 
and eager anticipation that we returned the next 
summer and saw once again all our friends and acquaint- 
ances of the year before, adding a few more to their 
number as time went on. 

I wish I could now remember the names of all those 
we saw, and of all the places we went to. I must, 
however, mention a ball at Chelsea House, at which 
the late Lady Cadogan presided with that grace that 
made her such an inimitable hostess. Then, too, there 
were some entertainments at Holland House, so full 
of treasures, rare works of art, and that appearance of 
rural solitude which renders it such a unique spot 
amidst the bustle and traffic of London. We were 
guests on another day at a garden party at Montagu 
House, where the wonderful collection of miniatures 
attracted my attention. 

34 



The Duchess of Devonshire 

I remember, too, we attended two or three re- 
ceptions at Devonshire House, where the lively and 
once lovely Duchess shone in the splendour of her 
diamonds and in all the pride of her high estate and 
yellow wig. I have never understood why she wore 
that wig, which certainly did not make her look 
younger. She was one of the cleverest women of 
her generation, and she had a knowledge of the world 
to which but few attain. She had achieved the great- 
est social triumphs she could ever have aspired to, 
and yet she could not be made to understand that her 
regular, statuesque features would have produced a 
far more pleasing impression if she had accepted the 
white hair that formed the natural appanage of her 
many years, and bravely realised that the golden 
locks which had made her beauty so renowned in a 
distant past were now inappropriate. However, seen 
standing at the head of her fine white marble stair- 
case, she appeared quite queenly, if slightly disdain- 
ful, whenever someone whom she did not know well, 
but had felt obliged to invite, passed before her, 
bending low as he might have done to a sovereign. 
The Duke, with the broad blue ribbon of the Garter 
across his breast, stood beside her, pompous, bored, but 
every inch a grand seigneur. 

The Duchess of Devonshire was not liked by every- 
body. She was, however, in reality extremely kind 
and good-natured — at least, had been so as 
Duchess of Manchester, when, perhaps, she had 
not been quite so sure of her position as at Devon- 
shire House. She was always amiable, and held to 
the maxim that an invitation costs nothing to 

35 



Memories of Forty Years 

give and provides one with another enemy when 
refused. 

Another Duchess, formidable in appearance, and 
stiff as only an English Duchess can be, was the 
mother of Lord Rosebery, the Duchess of Cleveland. 
When I was introduced to her at a house where I 
happened to be one afternoon, she began by looking 
at me from head to foot, then said loudly, " The 
Princess Radziwill ? I do not want to know her " ; 
then turning round, as if intending to clear a doubt that 
perhaps arose in her breast, " I hope you are not the 
Princess Anthony Radziwill, because in that case I 
don't want to make your acquaintance." I hastened 
to reassure her as to that point, then mildly inquired 
what she knew about my sister-in-law that could 
have made her so determined to refuse her acquaint- 
ance. Upon this the old lady confided to me that 
whilst at Constantinople she had become very friendly 
with the Princess Radolin, the wife of the German 
Ambassador there, the niece of my said sister-in- 
law, who had taken her out into society, her own 
mother being dead. One day, for some reason, my 
sister-in-law boxed her ears. The Princess had never 
forgotten or forgiven the fact, and years later had 
related the story to the Duchess of Cleveland, who 
thereupon had determined if ever she met the Princess 
Anthony Radziwill to make her feel her utter dis- 
approbation of her conduct in regard to her mother- 
less niece. When I had explained to her that I was 
quite a different person, the old lady thawed a little, 
and even relented so far as to hold out to me two icy 
fingers when I took leave of her. 

36 



High-Born Hostesses 

London was very gay during the season of the year 
1894, the principal event of which was the birth of 
the present Prince of Wales. A few hostesses who 
generally did not indulge in much entertaining, gave 
balls rivalling each other in splendour and in beauty 
of floral decoration. The Countess Percy invited her 
friends to the house of her father-in-law, the Duke of 
Northumberland, and though that entertainment was 
afterwards pronounced to have been one of the dullest 
ever seen, I cannot say I carried away with me any 
impression of the kind. The Countess was a real great 
lady, dignified, serene, serious, polite, without osten- 
tation, who bore herself with such perfect dignity that 
many a Queen might have envied her. She had been 
remarkably pretty in her youth, and, though decidedly 
dowdy in her dress, had preserved the regularity of her 
features and the lovely colour of her hair. She was the 
sister of the Marquis of Lome and the eldest daughter 
of the Duke of Argyll, and a great favourite with 
Queen Victoria, as I was afterwards told. 

Lord Egerton of Tatton, who, during that same 
summer, was to marry my friend the Duchess of 
Buckingham and Chandos, also gave a ball in his fine 
residence at St. James's Square, and the Countess of 
Ellesmere invited us to her receptions in that splendid 
Bridgewater House, with its priceless picture gallery. 
And then we had the opportunity to admire the beau- 
tiful young Duchess of Sutherland, looking like a 
fairy, in that palace called Stafford House, which is 
so famous in the annals of London. 

I have just mentioned the loveliness of the Duchess 
of Sutherland. To my mind she was the prettiest 

37 



Memories of Forty Years 

woman in England, that country of pretty women. 
Less classical in features than the Duchess of Mont- 
rose, less brilliant than the famous Buncombe sisters, 
who, with the exception of Lady Helen Vincent, were 
rather too massive in form and figure, she was, per- 
haps, sweeter and more graceful, having a peculiar 
charm all her own, and a gliding, stately kind of walk 
that was altogether fascinating. 

The Dowager Lady Dudley, too, was still one of 
the beauties of the day, and, indeed, notwithstanding 
her grown-up children, could very well compete with 
many a younger woman. She has always had my ut- 
most admiration, as she realised in my eyes the per- 
fection of a great lady. The Duchess of Abercorn, 
too, was another great lady of striking personality. 
She had a wonderfully dignified air when she entered 
the ballroom at Buckingham Palace, with her priceless 
sapphires round her neck. My admiration also went 
to the Duchess of Buccleuch, that ideal of a grande 
dame, so simple was she in her manners and so stately 
in her bearing. 

We made several visits to country houses during 
that summer, amongst others, to Waddesdon Manor, 
where Baron Ferdinand Rothschild — " Baron Ferdy," 
as his friends used to call him — entertained us with 
that rich hospitality which is proverbial at all the 
Rothschilds' houses. Baron Ferdy was a delightful 
man, clever, well-read, artistic in his tastes, a lover 
of everything that was beautiful, an entirely pleasant 
companion, and the owner of one of the most beau- 
tiful houses it has ever been my lot to see. His 
pictures, especially those of the English school, were 

38 



Visit to Scotland 

priceless, and everything about his home appealed 
to a cultured person's taste. 

We remained in London until the end of July, 
then settled in a house near Sevenoaks in Kent, where 
we stayed until the autumn. Several times whilst 
there I saw the late Lord Stanhope and his delightful, 
clever wife, who showed me all the treasures of Cheven- 
ing, their lovely home. It is full of curious and 
interesting things, especially the library, with its 
wealth of books and manuscripts, among which figure 
the original letters of Lord Chesterfield to his illegiti- 
mate son, Philip Stanhope. 

Montreal House, of which Alice, Lady Amherst, 
was at that time the mistress, was also a place full of 
interest, and its amiable hostess a person it was impos- 
sible to know and not to like. In fact, I can truly say 
that nearly all the people I met in England were well 
worth knowing, and had either one thing or another 
to recommend them. Few were dull or insignificant, 
and what perhaps I appreciated most in English 
society was the perfect independence that presided 
over it, and the freedom with which one was able to 
choose friends and acquaintances. 

In September I spent a few days in Scotland, 
visiting Edinburgh on my way, where a very pleasant 
man, Mr. Maxwell Stuart, was kind enough to show 
me everything worth seeing. I had been introduced 
to him at Everingham Park, where we had spent a 
few days with Lord and Lady Herries, the parents of 
the present Duchess of Norfolk. 

I was intensely interested in seeing the curiosities 
of the Scottish capital, and would dearly like to go 

39 



Memories of Forty Years 

there again. It has quite a charm of its own, and 
appeals to the mind as well as to any artistic leanings 
one might have. Whilst at Holy rood we were shown 
over the apartments occupied by the ill-fated Mary 
Stuart. The old keeper, when he reached a small 
staircase behind the bedroom of the Queen, showed 
us a brown spot on the floor, and suddenly said, in a 
solemn, mournful tone, " This is the spot where David 
Rizzio was murdered, and," he added in an undertone, 
" I paint this stain every morning afresh ! " 

Seeing us burst out laughing, and feeling evidently 
very affronted at our hilarity, he began explaining to 
us that some years ago the old floor had been removed 
and replaced by a new one, but then the numerous 
Americans who visited Holyrood Palace became so 
indignant at not finding the famous bloodstains about 
which tradition spoke, and questioned him with such 
severity, that at last, in sheer desperation, the old man 
determined to satisfy them, and since that time had 
" painted afresh every morning " a stain supposed to 
represent the blood of Darnley's victim. 



40 



CHAPTER IV 

ENGLAND THROUGH THE EYES OF A FOREIGNER 

IF anyone asked me what I believed to be necessary 
for the completion of a young man's education, I 
should without the slightest hesitation reply, " a year 
or two in England." For in order to understand the 
true significance of the word " civilisation," it is neces- 
sary to see something of English life, study English 
politeness, as well as to understand English broad- 
ness of view and tolerance of every opinion. 

Politics also ought to be studied in England, if 
only from the practical point of view. The struggle 
for political supremacy exists nowhere as in England, 
and nowhere either is it conducted on more courteous 
lines than in that country. Indeed, for anyone who 
knows what politics mean in France or in Germany, 
and who has witnessed the battles fought in those 
countries on questions of State, it is soothing to think 
that there is one country at least where this fight 
for supremacy does not interfere in any way with 
private or social relations. What must impress every 
foreigner is the perfect urbanity that exists among 
the leaders of the different parties in their conduct 
toward each other. At all the receptions of the Head 
of the Government, one can meet the leaders of the 
Opposition and its principal members, which alone 

41 



Memories of Forty Years 

proves the great superiority of the moral and intel- 
lectual standard of Englishmen over other nations of 
Europe. 

This side of the national character, I regret to say, 
has not been sufficiently appreciated abroad, and yet 
it more deserves study than many other things that 
have attracted the attention of the foreign public. 
This influence also permeates the social life of London, 
and considerably adds to its pleasantness. For one 
thing, it gives the opportunity to every striking 
personality to mix with all classes of society, and 
does not confine people to a certain circle. 

Life in England is conducted on broad lines, from 
the intellectual even more than from the material 
point of view. There is a constant interchange of 
opinions, and everybody is interested in everything 
that is going on. 

On the other hand, there seems to be, in high 
society circles, the absence of that home life which we 
have been taught to think of as the exclusive property 
of the English nation. Home life in the upper classes 
does not exist. It has been undermined and destroyed 
by the mania for constant travelling, and that restless- 
ness which has taken hold of society in general. In 
no other land do such beautiful country homes exist 
as in England, yet they are seldom inhabited. London 
has become a vast inn, where one spends at least four 
out of the seven days in the week. Indeed, the home 
is often forsaken for the hotel, and the custom now 
prevalent of entertaining one's friends to lunch or 
dinner at the Ritz or the Carlton has gradually done 
away with home life as it was understood formerly. 

42 



Society of Yesterday and To-day 

In high society, how little remains of the quietness of 
the Sabbath of former days, when people could enjoy 
a real rest and spend a few hours among the roses 
in their gardens. That illusion of the foreigner has 
been shattered. We imagined an English home as 
something sweet and solemn, where the mistress gath- 
ered her children around her, and where family prayers 
and the Bible alternated with afternoon tea and toast. 
All this has ceased to exist. Children are confined to 
their nursery and scarcely ever see their parents, who 
in autumn are always rushing about between their 
London and their country houses, those of their friends, 
and Biarritz, Paris, Monte Carlo, Egypt, or India at 
other seasons of the year. English life nowadays is 
spent in railway trains and motor cars. There is no 
steadiness and scarcely any seriousness in the smart 
set. 

There are, however, a good many people who, 
happily, are not of that calibre. Thinking about them 
reminds me of one hospitable house in London — that 
of Lord and Lady Brassey ; she is one of the most 
exquisite women it has ever been my good chance to 
meet, and one in whom natural sweetness blends with 
acquired gentleness and learning. Her conversation 
is more than entertaining ; it is delightful in its simple 
earnestness and entire absence of affectation. She is 
a perfect example of the English gentlewoman, caring 
for her house and home, and at the same time shining 
in the world with that peculiar grace that only a high- 
bred woman can possess. 

Another couple who have always kept up the old 
English traditions for hospitality are Lord and Lady 

43 



Memories of Forty Years 

Jersey, whose garden parties at Osterley are a feature 
of the London season. You meet there all the interest- 
ing people of the capital, and can beguile an after- 
noon in the kind of conversation you appreciate 
most, either serious or frivolous, or can wander under 
the old beech trees, or sit on the smooth lawns, gazing 
at gaily dressed women and attractive men, and enjoy 
a picture of English life such as you will seldom find 
elsewhere. 

Garden parties are a great feature in London 
society. They constitute in the busy life which is 
the characteristic of the great city a most pleasant 
and easy way of meeting one's friends, without the rush 
that is invariably associated with every evening party, 
where people come and go, and very often do not reach 
the top of the staircase, so eager are they to push 
on somewhere else, so that their names should appear 
the next day in the Morning Post as being present 
at the function. 

It is so different at such places as Osterley Park 
or Holland House ; one feels that one has the right 
to beguile an hour or two, and to admire one's sur- 
roundings, to think of those distant times when Queen 
Elizabeth reigned, and where the great Burghley ruled, 
without having to remember that Lady So-and-So, or 
the Countess So-and-So has asked you to appear in the 
evening, very often to be seen by everybody in her 
house except by herself. 

I once asked a very witty foreigner whom I met 
in London what were his impressions of the season 
there. His reply was a characteristic one : " One 
eats too many strawberries, and meets too many 

44 



Invasion of the Newly-Rich 

people." That was the foreigner who studied nothing 
and who looked at everything, and that is not the 
impression one ought to carry away from the capital 
of the world, which is one of those delightful, strange, 
incomprehensible places where one feels lost at first, 
but where gradually so many attractions are dis- 
covered that one is loath to leave it. 

Talking about London hostesses, I find I have not 
mentioned old Mrs. Lowther and her receptions at 
Lowther Lodge, one of the prettiest, quaintest houses 
in the great city. It savoured of a Tudor Castle and 
a Georgian mansion; the architecture was as lovely 
as it was full of anachronisms. Here everybody worth 
knowing in the world would be seen, and here, too, 
the most delightful people in England had congregated 
at one time or another. At Lowther Lodge, with its 
lovely pictures, its large bowls of flowers scattered 
throughout the wide rooms, it was always possible to 
find a quiet spot and enjoy a quiet talk. The hosts 
were always solicitously eager for their guests' enjoy- 
ment and left them wisely alone to seek it unmolested 
by any interferences such as music or singing, or any 
other of these accompaniments of ordinary afternoon 
parties that are such nuisances to the man who wants 
to look at things around him and listen to what is said. 

I have always regretted not having known London 
before the invasion of the newly-rich element. It must 
have been even more pleasant than it is now. Being 
an old woman myself, I confess regretting the Victorian 
period, before South Africa had been invented, America 
had been discovered, and the various ghettos of the 
world had opened their doors to allow their former 

45 



Memories of Forty Years 

inmates to escape into a more hospitable land. At 
present the emulation for luxury and extravagance 
has done away with a great deal of the sedateness and 
dignity which characterised hostesses of former times 
in London. It is a pity, a very great pity ; but it has 
not interfered with the principal characteristics of 
English life ; it has only brought new elements into 
it ; for better or for worse, it is not for me to say, 
but elements that have only added to the impression 
of grandeur that cannot fail to strike the foreigner 
when he arrives for the first time. 

Politics also have undergone a change which is 
incontestable, and which is perhaps more felt than 
seen at political receptions such as are constantly given 
during the season. New people are invited to these ; 
they appear in the same style of dress as the others ; 
they seem to differ in no wise from the supporters of 
Lord Beaconsfield or Lord Salisbury, but yet are 
entirely different, both by their education and by their 
temperament. 

The advent of democratic government has neces- 
sarily brought along with it a race of politicians and 
their wives who arrive in London for the season. 
When they return they carry back with them in 
triumph to their provincial homes the card of invita- 
tion which they had received for a reception at the 
Foreign Office, or at some other official place, which 
with swelling pride they stick on the mantelpiece of 
their best parlour in Manchester or Liverpool, or any 
other spot where they may happen to live. 



46 



PART II 
Memories of Germany 



CHAPTER I 

THE EMPEROR WILLIAM I 

CERTAIN readers of history from the surface have 
lightly classified the first German Emperor as 
a weak man under the thumb of Bismarck. He was 
not. No man in the whole of Europe had a clearer 
discernment or foresight, yet his was a rare and noble 
personality. His first concern was ever to serve his 
country, even though the serving were best accom- 
plished with others as prime movers. 

The Emperor William I. was approaching his 
eightieth year at the time I had the honour to be 
presented to him. He was spoken of as an old man of 
declining powers, if not near his end. His Court, in- 
deed, appeared to be much more convinced of his ad- 
vanced age than he was himself. I had heard so much 
concerning the precautions which, according to some 
people of his Court, he ought to have taken, but to which 
he obstinately refused to conform, that I was expecting 
to see an almost decrepit man, borne down by the 
weight of his years. 

I was extremely surprised, therefore, on the first 
occasion that I met the Emperor, to find myself in 
the presence of a man vigorous and active in his 
movements, whose blue eyes retained the vivacity 
usually associated with youth, and whose walk still 

e 49 



Memories of Forty Years 

possessed vigour and elasticity. The attitude of the 
Emperor was kind in the extreme, his voice ex- 
pressed sympathy, and it had an intonation which 
gave token of rare qualities of heart and of mind. 
He had a curious habit when he was talking to 
anyone of bending his head in such a manner that 
it seemed to add to his height instead of taking away 
from it. Always very neat in his dress, he had a certain 
coquetry in the way in which he arranged his hair 
in order to hide his baldness. A long lock from the 
back was carried to the front, where it was fastened 
by means of a black thread to another coming from 
his forehead. This considerably added to the charm 
of his face. The Emperor could never have been a 
handsome young man, but in age he was imposing. 

Everyone who knew the Emperor liked him ; the 
one who loved him the most, perhaps, or certainly who 
served him the best, was Prince Bismarck. He held 
his sovereign in great respect, which was the more 
strange as he did not admire his intelligence. When 
the Iron Chancellor found himself alone beside the 
dead body of his master immediately after the latter's 
demise, he shed bitter tears. These tears constituted 
the truest and purest homage to the great monarch 
whose name will live for ever in the history of Germany 
and of its development in Europe. 

The Emperor's mind was not deep and certainly 
not brilliant, but he was a man gifted with strong 
common sense, and especially a man who always knew 
what his duty required of him. He was also persevering 
in character, and his word could always be relied upon. 
He did not read much, and generally confined his 

50 



William I. Epitomised 

attention to works which treated of purely military 
matters, but I remember that one evening, during a 
little party given by the Empress, one of the persons 
present alluded to one of Renan's books that had 
just appeared, and quoted a phrase from it referring 
to the necessity which exists for every human being 
to work for the general good without hoping for a 
reward, in like manner as the slaves of the Egyptian 
Pharaohs worked in the construction of the Pyramids. 
' The men have disappeared, but the Pyramids stand 
to this present day," concluded the writer. " I share 
this opinion," said the Emperor. " We ought to work 
for those who follow us in life without asking ourselves 
the wherefore of the labour to which we are condemned." 

These words epitomise the whole life of William I., 
as well as the principles which constantly inspired his 
actions and helped him in everything he attempted. 
In his youth he had witnessed dark days which had 
saddened his Fatherland : he had never forgotten the 
disaster of Jena ; he remembered the tears of his 
mother, Queen Louise, when she had been obliged to 
fly to Memel. The lamentations of the unfortunate 
woman were always ringing in his ears, and it can be 
affirmed, without fear of being mistaken, that the long- 
ing to avenge the humiliation inflicted at that time, 
not only upon his country, but also upon his house, 
never left him. 

He never spoke about that tragedy, but it was 
always in his thoughts — during his childish games, as 
well as in the days of his youthful enjoyments; later 
on, when the storms of 1848 seemed to prophesy for 
him destitution and exile rather than the fulfilment of 

51 



Memories of Forty Years 

his dreams of glory, those thoughts persisted. They 
lingered when he had to take up the reins of government 
and attempt to repair the mistakes of his predecessors ; 
in the days of his great successes, as well as in the 
moments of his reverses, he remembered them. They 
were in his thoughts when the angry crowd invaded his 
palace at Berlin and obliged him to escape in disguise, 
and when that same crowd accompanied him to the 
railway station on his departure for the field of battle 
in 1870. He thought about the tragedy, too, on that 
triumphant afternoon when he returned to his joyful 
capital, and the whole nation acclaimed the new 
victorious Caesar who was bringing back his laurels; 
he thought about it probably more than ever when, 
a few hours after this glorious entry, he went to 
kneel down beside his mother's grave in the mauso- 
leum of Charlottenburg. For all those who have known 
the Emperor, it is impossible to doubt for a single 
moment that, even in that solemn instant, it was to 
his people, after Almighty God, that he attributed the 
successes which had been his, and that, in his mind, 
he believed that he had only been one of the many 
workmen who had toiled in the erection of " the 
Pyramid." 

In order to understand thoroughly this simple and 
great character, one must have studied the history of 
Prussia, and especially that of the House of Hohen- 
zollern ; one must have visited some of the old German 
towns and have become imbued with the facts which 
brought about and which accompanied the great work 
of the Reformation. 

If Luther had not existed, the importance acquired 

52 



The House of Hohenzollern 

by Prussia in the history of Europe would have been 
impossible, and it is quite certain that Baron Stockmar, 
the friend of the Prince Consort, was right when he 
called Frederick William IV. the greatest Protestant 
monarch in Europe, and advised the marriage of the 
Princess Royal of England to the future Emperor 
Frederick III. 

Many members of the House of Hohenzollern were 
gentle and artistic, notwithstanding opinions which 
have been expressed to the contrary. Protestantism 
alone, with its austere and sometimes even narrow 
ideas, was capable of transforming them into strong 
and virile characters. Under the influence of the 
religious wars they became hardened, and in defend- 
ing their faith, and perhaps also on account of that 
faith, took for their chief aim in life a disinterested 
devotion to their Fatherland. An atmosphere less 
heavy than the one in which they had grown up would 
not have allowed them to resist the instincts of their 
nature, in itself neither hard nor cruel. But the 
series of reverses which had followed one upon 
the other during the whole course of their family 
history had ripened them and developed in them that 
instinct and that feeling of duty which was the most 
prominent feature in the character of William I. 

His career as Prince of Prussia, and later on as 
Prince Regent, is too well known to need reference 
here. Besides, I am not writing an historical book, 
merely relating personal remembrances. I cannot help, 
however, drawing attention to the numerous difficulties 
which William encountered during the long years which 
preceded his accession to the throne. He was not at 

53 



Memories of Forty Years 

all in sympathy with the opinions of his elder brother, 
King Frederick William IV. He interpreted quite 
differently the meaning of the duties of a sovereign, 
and he was especially hostile to the opinions of his 
pietist brother, which he considered to be fatal to the 
greatness of his country. Notwithstanding, however, 
this private divergence of opinion, the loyalty which 
he bore towards the head of his house and his dyn- 
asty restrained him from any public manifestation 
which might be construed into an expression of dis- 
approval of his brother. If his Court was considered 
by many people as a centre of opposition to the King, 
it was more the fault of the Princess of Prussia than 
his own, because he always kept studiously silent when- 
ever he found himself in the presence of things which 
his mind could not sanction. He relaxed only his 
habitual reserve when he was alone with the King. 

His position as Regent was even more delicate than 
it had been while he was only heir-presumptive to the 
Crown. Though the illness from which the King 
suffered had been declared incurable, the Prince could 
not impose his will in matters of State, as he would 
have done had he alone been responsible. He was in 
a false position, and one rendered more trying because 
he was not popular among the masses of the nation, 
who did not approve of his plans concerning the re- 
organisation of the army. On the eve of her greatest 
military successes Prussia felt afraid ; she believed 
less in her own future than did the Prince Regent. 

It was William's supreme happiness always to have 
kept his faith in the glorious destiny of his people, and 
to have believed in it with all the energy of his serious 

54 




emperor William 1 of Prussia 



William I. and Bismarck 

and entirely straight nature. Without that conviction, 
which he cherished throughout his life, Prussia would 
never have seen the successes of Bismarck, Moltke, and 
Roon ; she would never have earned the laurels of 
Sadowa, nor those of Sedan. Without the energy dis- 
played by William I. it is most probable that if the old 
German Empire had ever been reconstituted, it would 
have been to the profit of the Habsburgs, and not to 
that of the Hohenzollerns. 

By a strange irony of fate, the principal quality of 
the character of William I. — that of always knowing 
how to retire into the background, leaving to others the 
glory of the achievements which his own perseverance 
had prepared — was never sufficiently appreciated either 
by his family or by his surroundings, or even by his 
own people. On the contrary, the general opinion was 
that he allowed himself to be dominated and guided 
by his Chancellor. How very few people knew or 
understood that, by accepting this view of his relations 
with the great statesman to whom he felt so much 
indebted, the Emperor was performing a supreme sacri- 
fice for the sake of that nation to which already he 
had sacrificed so much. Feeling more than he cared 
to own the weight of his years, he was quite content to 
allow his ship to be led by an experienced pilot, and 
he kept that pilot on the bridge, although his constant 
presence there appeared somewhat in the light of a 
personal humiliation of his own prestige. Even when 
he differed from Bismarck sufficiently to insist upon 
his own will being carried out — and this sometimes 
happened — he always did so in a way that none should 
guess he was doing it, so complete and perfect was 

55 



Memories of Forty Years 

his disinterestedness, so entire was his abnegation to 
the prosperity of his loved country of all that related 
to himself. 

No one who had insight and who studied without 
prejudice the influences which went to the moulding 
of the new kingdom, could doubt that Bismarck 
thoroughly understood the situation. 

Where a man of less powerful personality would 
have taken advantage, he saw that in William I. was 
a true patriot, and their mutual love for the Fatherland 
brought them very close together. Brusque and 
domineering as Bismarck so often was, yet he was 
not a hard man, and if his epigram about Lord Salis- 
bury were true, that he " was a lath of wood painted 
to look like iron," it could be said with equal certainty 
that Bismarck had a " soft heart hid in granite." 

I used to see him together with William I., and 
as he looked at his Royal master his eyes told of his 
affection. I may be pardoned if I quote the exact 
words of my diary : "It was touching to watch the 
great Chancellor when he was speaking to William I. ; 
the deference in his countenance, and the expression 
of his eyes in those moments, had some peculiar quality 
which could not but impress those who noticed the 
homage that he was paying to the old monarch. In 
his inmost soul he respected as much as he loved him ; 
to him he had given all the admiration, all the affec- 
tion that his stern heart was capable of feeling." 

When, as it sometimes happened, Bismarck came 
into the room just as his aged monarch was being 
wearied and worried by the urgency of some per- 
sistent individual who wanted the Emperor to grant 

56 



A Dislike of Intrigue 

something against his inclination or sense of equity, 
the quiet anger of Bismarck was barely concealed. 
He hated to see the kindly face of William troubled 
and uneasy, and would quickly have rid him of those 
" grinders of axes," as you say in England, had the 
Emperor been less patient and forbearing. 

Another remarkable side in the personality of the 
Emperor was his dislike for intrigue of any kind, and 
his contempt for those who practised it. Constantly 
surrounded by people — even in his own family — who 
indulged in every possible form of intrigue, his straight 
common sense, his rare firmness of character, knew at 
once how much to put down to individual passions, 
and he soon succeeded in putting things upon their 
proper level, to reward those who deserved it, and to 
put aside those whose honesty appeared to him to be 
doubtful. Whilst everything around him, and even 
his own person, was eclipsed by the great figure of 
Bismarck, he nevertheless always remained the King, 
the only man before whom this rival of Richelieu 
consented to bow his head, and to whom he submitted 
his will. 

I do not think I am mistaken when I say that one 
of the things which caused the most annoyance to the 
Emperor was the manner in which, after the proclama- 
tion of the new Empire, an attempt was made to modify 
the old ceremonial of the Prussian Court. The changes 
which were introduced were initiated by the Empress, 
who was helped by the great master of the ceremonies 
of that time, Count Stillfried. Both tried to give 
greater pomp to all the Court functions, and especially 
to establish a new order of precedence. This latter 

57 



Memories of Forty Years 

exceedingly displeased William I. He did not care to 
see the persons whom he honoured with his atten- 
tion in other places than where he had been accus- 
tomed to find them. It also annoyed him to witness 
the importance which certain persons attached to 
small privileges of rank, by which they revealed the 
narrowness of their minds. He himself was so kind, 
so devoid of the least shade of vanity, that it was 
painful to him to have to acknowledge the meanness 
of others, and especially of people among whom he 
had made his friends. This explains the sad and at 
the same time malicious smile with which he listened 
to the remark made by a lady he knew well during 
a reception at the old castle of Berlin. A few prin- 
cesses present, displeased at the places allotted to 
them, began quarrelling as to whom should have 
precedence over the other ; each claimed with energy 
a place which was considered to be the one of honour, 
and which was situated beside a door leading to the 
great gallery through which one had to pass to reach 
the ballroom of the palace. The Emperor happened 
to come in whilst these recriminations were going on, 
and having noticed an unaccustomed agitation among 
his guests, asked the lady in question what had hap- 
pened. He received the following reply : 

" Oh, it is nothing at all, sir ; it is only these ladies 
who are disputing among themselves which shall have 
the honour to be put outside the door ! " 

All these quarrels concerning precedence occupied 
the attention of Berlin society to a considerable extent 
during the earliest years of the Empire. They con- 
stituted the small and petty sides of a society which 

58 



Berlin Develops 

had never led an existence on broad lines, and the 
horizon of which had never gone beyond that of a 
German royal city of the eighteenth century. With 
time all this underwent a change ; Berlin became 
a European centre, and its social importance equalled 
the political and military status which Prussia had 
acquired through the successes of her armies. But at 
the period of which I am writing, 1873-4, the evolution 
was just taking place, and naturally it claimed its 
victims. 



CHAPTER II 

DAILY LIFE AT THE COURT 

THE Emperor and Empress lived an exceedingly 
simple and unpretentious life. Yet when it 
was necessary, there was a considerable display of 
pomp and even magnificence. The balls which the 
sovereigns gave frequently during the winter season 
were really splendid, though they did not rise to the 
heights of luxury which characterised the functions 
of the Russian Court. 

One can say, though, that the festivities were 
attended with much dignity, and the crowds did not 
hustle one as they did on like occasions in St. 
Petersburg. In certain exceptional circumstances, as, 
for instance, on the Emperor's birthday, to celebrate 
which a considerable number of German princes were 
wont to assemble in the capital of the Empire, or 
when some foreign monarch came to Berlin on a 
visit, the receptions given in the old castle were 
organised on a grand scale, worthy of a great sovereign. 

The Imperial carriages were exceedingly smart, the 
horses beautiful, and the liveries of the servants ex- 
tremely dignified and in taste. Indeed, there was 
not lacking on these special occasions that air of 
formal pomp which is associated with Royal Courts 
of most ancient origins. 

60 



Royal Domesticity 

In the ordinary regime of daily life there was a 
homeliness and modesty which had its pleasant fea- 
tures. The table was abundant, but not refined, and 
if the bill of fare did not, as a rule, distinguish itself 
with great variety, it was certainly copious. The 
Emperor, who was a great eater, but not at all a gour- 
met, was especially fond of most indigestible foods, 
such as lobster, pate de foie gras, game of every kind, 
and a certain most abominable dish which consisted 
of eggs prepared with a sauce made from cheese. 
He hardly ever drank any other wine than sparkling 
Moselle, which was specially ordered for him from a 
wine merchant of Mayence, but the Imperial cellars 
were absolutely admirable, and only contained perfect 
wines, the brands of which were celebrated through- 
out Germany. 

The royal kitchen was excellently managed, the 
head cook being a Frenchman, whilst the chief butler 
and his subordinates were Germans. The service, 
down to the smallest details, left nothing to be 
desired, but, except on the extraordinary occasions I 
have already mentioned, the whole management of the 
Court reminded one more of the household of a very 
rich private person than of the sumptuous palace of 
a great sovereign. At the same time, everyone felt 
at home and free from the usual ceremonial constraint. 

The life of the Imperial couple was uniform and 
rarely subject to any changes in its daily routine. The 
Emperor used to get up quite early ; in the course 
of the morning he received the reports of his ministers 
and the people who had asked for audiences. He 
usually granted these audiences in his study, which 

61 



Memories of Forty Years 

was situated on the ground floor of the small palace 
that was his private property, and which he continued 
to occupy until his death. 

This very small room, very simply arranged, had as 
principal piece of furniture a big writing-table always 
littered with papers and documents of every possible 
kind, and on which one could see photographs of 
the members of the Royal Family. There was also 
a miniature of the Princess Elisa Radziwill, who was 
the object of the first love of Prince William of Prussia 
at a time when he could not foresee his great 
destiny. On the walls were hanging a portrait of the 
Empress Charlotte of Russia, the favourite sister of 
the Emperor, and another one of his daughter, the 
Grand Duchess of Baden. A door, generally left half- 
open, led from this study into the bedroom of the 
Sovereign. Through it one could just see the narrow 
camp-bed upon which he breathed his last, with its 
thin mattress and the worn-out blankets which he 
always refused to have renewed. 

The entrance to the study was through a small par- 
lour where the aide-de-camp was on duty to introduce 
the visitors. This aide-de-camp was the only officer 
whom the Emperor permitted about his person. The 
aide came to the palace in the morning and remained 
until two o'clock, which was the hour when the 
monarch used to take his daily drive in the park 
of the Thiergarten, and during which William I. 
always refused other escort than his valet, who sat on 
the box beside the coachman. After the attempt 
made upon his life by Nobiling, however, he consented 
to take the aide-de-camp with him. During the fre- 

62 



A Hard Worker 

quent visits of the Grand Duchess of Baden in Berlin, 
this aide-de-camp followed behind in another carriage, 
whilst the Emperor had his daughter sitting beside 
him. 

On returning from his drive the Sovereign retired 
to his room, and either rested or worked until dinner, 
which was served at five o'clock in winter and at four 
in summer. The Empress was always present at dinner, 
as well as at breakfast, and it was the only moment 
in the day when she could talk freely with her hus- 
band, and when she communicated to him the news- 
paper articles to which she wanted to direct his atten- 
tion. During this hour, too, she entertained him with 
the gossip of the town, and introduced the manifold 
intrigues with which she wanted to associate him. 

The early evening was generally spent at the 
theatre or with a few chosen friends. And very often, 
when everybody was already asleep in the palace, one 
could see from the street the Emperor's lamp burning 
through the night and lighting up the last hours of his 
assiduous work. 



63 



CHAPTER III 

RECEPTIONS AND CEREMONIES 

IN the early days of the Empire there was little of 
pomp and splendour about ceremonial functions 
at the Court of Berlin. Sometimes they were almost 
amusing in their frank crudity. Nevertheless they 
were mostly enjoyable affairs. The receptions were 
particularly so, perhaps, because of their homely 
character. 

These receptions varied in regard to the number 
of guests invited. The most select of these functions 
were the teas which were held nearly every day by 
the Empress, and to which hardly ever more than 
ten or twelve people were invited on any single occasion. 
They took place downstairs, in the apartments 
used by the Grand Duchess of Baden when she 
visited Berlin. The gatherings went by the name of 
" Bonbonniere," or " Tabatiere," according to which of 
the rooms was used for the occasion. The guests were 
received by one of the ladies-in-waiting of the Empress — 
the Countess Adelaide Hacke or the Countess Louise 
Oriolla — by the maid of honour on duty, and by Count 
Nesselrode, Master of the Household of the Empress. 
After only a few minutes' waiting Her Majesty appeared, 
and at once sat down at a round table on which was 
a red velvet cover, with gold fringe. The people she 

64 



Imperial Hospitality 

cared most particularly to entertain she invited to 
sit beside her, whilst the other guests took their places 
at other round tables, and as soon as all were com- 
fortable tea was brought in. 

Then the Emperor would enter, and his first words, 
full of his usual kindness, were to request those present 
not to get up. The Empress herself offered him tea, 
and during the course of the entertainment, which 
never lasted more than an hour or an hour and a 
half, one used to hand round sandwiches, ices, and 
very often roasted chestnuts with claret. The plates 
as well as the cups were ugly and common looking — 
white china with a green border going round them 
like a riband — the glass was baccarat and very pretty. 
The conversation was entirely small-talk, and the 
Empress led it the whole time, except in regard to 
the people sitting in the immediate neighbourhood 
of the Emperor. The events of the day were dis- 
cussed, together with the gossip going round the 
town, of which the Empress was extremely fond, and 
reference was always made to the recent French 
publications, of which she kept herself regularly in- 
formed. These parties were held during the whole 
of the winter. Later I shall have something to say 
about the people who usually attended these teas. 

The regular season began as a rule on January 18th, 
or rather on the nearest Sunday. The great event, 
which was celebrated with extreme pomp in the old 
Castle, was the feast of the different orders of the 
Prussian kingdom. It was preceded by a chapter of 
the Order of the Black Eagle, held for the purpose of 
receiving the new Knights elected during the year. 

f 65 



Memories of Forty Years 

Then, on the Thursday following, the Great Court 
took place. This was the only occasion, except those 
of Royal weddings, when the ladies wore dresses with 
Court trains. The guests assembled at about half-past 
seven in the evening, each, according to his or her rank, 
going to one or other of the different halls of the old 
Castle. Upon that day one saw at Court faces and 
figures which only appeared there on this particular 
occasion, among others delegations of the principal 
merchants, the Burgomaster of Berlin, and a con- 
siderable number of deputies of the Reichstag, as well 
as of the Prussian Landtag, the plain evening clothes 
of whom stood out among the gold-laced and em- 
broidered uniforms of the military and civil court 
functionaries. 

The Emperor, holding the Empress by the hand, 
and followed by all the members of the Royal 
family, made his entry most solemnly at about eight 
o'clock. The Imperial party passed through the 
different rooms, and after having stopped for some 
minutes in the spacious picture gallery, where the 
officers of the garrisons of Berlin, Potsdam and Char- 
lottenburg were assembled, entered the White Ball 
Room, where a concert took place. The royalties 
listened from a raised dais, whilst the guests sat facing 
them, on very hard chairs, in strict order of precedence. 
There was no supper, but at the close everybody was 
served with excellent hot punch. 

In later years some slight change took place in these 
arrangements owing to the Empress's inability to 
walk. Instead of going round the various rooms 
talking to the people whom they knew, the Sovereigns 

66 



Court Balls in Berlin 

remained on the throne, the Emperor standing beside 
his consort, who kept her seat, while the guests filed 
past making low obeisance before them. This custom 
has been observed ever since. 

The day after the Great Court a ball took place 
in the Opera House. It was a charity feast which 
was honoured by the presence of every member of the 
Royal family. The ball was opened by a polonaise 
led by the Court Marshal, Count Fritz von Perponcher, 
and the Countess Hacke, lady-in-waiting to the Empress. 
The Sovereigns then followed them through the room, 
which was beautifully ornamented with flowers and 
plants from the Royal hothouses of Potsdam. The 
boxes were all occupied by persons belonging either 
to the official society or to the financial world of 
Berlin. The whole effect was magnificent. The om- 
nibus box on the left side was occupied by the members 
of the Royal family, whilst the two boxes facing it 
were reserved for the ambassadors and their wives, 
and for the Princes and Princesses belonging to those 
German families having the right to the title of Serene 
Highness. When the polonaise was over, the Emperor 
used to visit these two boxes, staying some time in 
familiar conversation with their occupants. 

It was at these Opera Balls that the finest diamonds 
in the capital were worn by ladies of the highest nobility, 
or belonging to the commercial and industrial world. 
All the different coteries of which Berlin society was 
composed used to assemble there, commingling for 
a few hours. And generally these festivities were 
much more amusing and pleasant because of this 
relaxation of the exclusiveness which at other times 

67 



Memories of Forty Years 

prevailed. It must not be forgotten that at that 
period the line of distinction between people of differ- 
ing ranks and social conditions was observed with 
a rigidity which to-day has vanished entirely. There 
existed then a strict line of demarcation between the 
people who were received at Court and those who 
could not aspire to such honour, and it was but seldom 
that one met an officer of a regiment of the Guards 
in houses where the hostess was not " Hoffahig." 
I remember very well that when I received an in- 
vitation to dinner from the banker, Baron von Bleich- 
roder, my mother-in-law absolutely refused to allow 
me to accept it, and I was obliged to make some excuse 
or other to the Baroness, by which I quite expect 
she was not duped for a single moment. 

The Great Court and the Opera Ball were followed 
by a series of balls given either in the old Castle or 
in the small palace used by the Emperor, and which 
now belongs to Prince Henry of Prussia. These last- 
mentioned receptions were very much sought after, 
not so much on account of the luxury displayed, for 
everything was most simply arranged, but because 
an invitation constituted a most rare distinction. 
The number of the invited guests seldom exceeded 
three or four hundred, and included only personal 
friends of the Sovereigns. 

These balls began and ended very early, and were 
held in a capacious round room opening out of a splen- 
did conservatory full of exquisite flowers. Supper was 
taken standing, and although most abundantly served, 
there was no display of luxury. The Emperor went 
among his guests as any ordinary host would do, and 

68 



An Admirer of Beauty 

showed that grace and kindness which always seemed 
to belong so specially to him, and to be manifest in 
everything that he said or did. He was always quite 
sure of his subject when conversing, and was most 
attentive towards the ladies present — especially if they 
were young and pretty. 

William I. was ever a fervent admirer of womanly 
beauty, and he tried to please those who were so en- 
dowed. I must add that his assiduities" to young 
women were of a most paternal character ; he always 
took care to inquire as to whether they were enjoying 
themselves, whether they had found pleasant partners, 
or some other expression of solicitude for their comfort. 
Diplomats were not, as a rule, admitted to these small 
balls given in the Emperor's own Palace, except am- 
bassadors and, in some rare cases, resident ministers ; 
but whenever distinguished foreigners arrived in Berlin 
— such as, for instance, the Princess Helene Kotchoubey, 
who became later on Mistress of the Robes to the 
Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia, or the Duchess 
of Manchester, afterwards Duchess of Devonshire — 
they were always invited to these very select receptions. 
The carnival generally ended by a grand ball given 
in the White Hall of the old Castle on the evening 
of Shrove Tuesday. The P^mpress was very strict 
on all points concerning the observance of Lent, and 
she used to end the entertainment punctually at mid- 
night, after which it was not considered proper to 
dance again until Easter. It was only toward the 
close of my stay in Berlin that the rigidity of this 
custom began to be relaxed. I remember that 
a small dance given by Madame von Arnim Kroch- 

69 



Memories of Forty Years 

lendorff, the sister of Prince Bismarck, in honour 
of her daughter, who had just made her debut 
into society, was talked of for weeks beforehand 
because it took place in the middle of Lent, much to 
the despair of the Catholics invited to it. They dared 
not take part in any of the dances for fear of offending 
the devout souls belonging to their community. It 
was the time of the Kulturkampf, and Roman Catholics 
rigorously observed the rules of their religion in the 
capital of Prussia, though it seemed to me they did 
so more for political reasons than for any other. 



70 



w 



CHAPTER IV 

THE EMPRESS'S THURSDAYS 

HEN the carnival season to which I referred in 
the previous chapter ended, the Empress began 
to give small, select receptions every Thursday in 
Lent, to which never more than two hundred and 
fifty people were invited. For the most part the same 
guests were invited week after week, changes only occa- 
sionally being made. Among those privileged to attend 
weekly were the ministers, the Serene Highnesses, and 
a few young women with whom the Emperor liked to 
surround himself. The ambassadors and their wives 
and the military attaches were invited every fortnight. 
These receptions took place in the small white draw- 
ing-room of the Palace, and on rare occasions in the 
round ball-room. The entertainment, although includ- 
ing good music, was boring to a degree, as the same 
artistes always appeared, and, usually, the same 
musical items were rendered. Among the artistes 
figured Madame Artot de Padilla, whose fine voice 
did not succeed in effacing the impression produced 
by her huge size. Madame Artot was a great favourite 
with the Empress, who declined to observe the ad- 
vancing age or the increasing embonpoint of the artiste, 
and regularly invited her each winter to sing at her 
receptions. They used to arrange the programme of 

71 



Memories of Forty Years 

these concerts together, which fact accounted, perhaps, 
for their monotony, of which the good Augusta alone 
was not aware. 

These Thursday evenings were considered very 
smart, but this did not prevent those privileged to 
attend them from complaining of their extraordinary 
dullness. They were very badly organised and arranged. 
As the guests entered the Palace each was immediately 
informed by a Chamberlain of the exact table at which 
they were to sit, and it was not permissible afterwards 
to leave one's place for the whole of the evening. If 
one chanced to have pleasant neighbours, things were 
not so bad, but if the contrary were the case, there 
was no possibility of evading the infliction. I re- 
member that very often Princess Frederick Charles, 
the mother of the present Duchess of Connaught, 
who was a very great artist and possessed a most 
remarkable talent for drawing caricatures, used to 
make sketches of some of the guests on the back of 
her musical programme, adding some malicious touches 
to their bored expressions. The concert lasted some- 
thing like two hours, interrupted by a short interval, 
during which the Sovereigns conversed with some of 
those present. 

After the singing supper was served on the same 
tables around which the guests had sat the whole 
evening. Each table was covered with red velvet, 
and was decorated with a basket of the most lovely 
flowers. The servants would bring plates, knives 
and forks, with serviettes, but no damask was laid 
over the velvet tables. As for the bill-of-fare, it was 
invariably the same — some small patties, cold salmon 

72 



The Annual Manoeuvres 

with mayonnaise sauce, chicken, and ices, and ex- 
cellent claret and iced champagne. At about midnight 
or a little later the guests retired. The next 
Thursday exactly the same thing was again carried 
out with exactly the same guests in exactly the same 
way. 

Sometimes, when Easter fell early in the year, 
these receptions continued for some weeks longer, 
but this occurred but seldom, because the Empress 
liked to go to Coblenz as soon as the spring began, 
and the Emperor, on his side, started for Wiesbaden 
to nurse his rheumatism, of which he liked to talk 
with a certain amount of martyred enjoyment. But 
he invariably returned to Berlin towards the end of 
May, to preside over the great manoeuvres and the 
annual summer parade which took place about that 
time. During these weeks he often accepted invitations 
to dine with his personal friends, such as Count 
Schleinitz, who was then Minister of the Imperial 
Household, the old Duke de Sagan, the foreign am- 
bassadors, and a few other people. William I. 
enormously enjoyed these festivities, the more so 
that he could then be free from the perpetual watching 
which the Empress exercised over him. It was also 
during these spring months that he gave military 
dinners from which ladies were excluded. In Potsdam, 
during the last days of June, the annual feast of the 
"Lehr Infanterie Bataillon" took place. It is collo- 
quially referred to by the inhabitants of Berlin as the 
" Schrippen-Fest," after a particular kind of small 
loaves distributed to the soldiers on the occasion. 
This ceremony was followed by a gala performance 

73 



Memories of Forty Years 

with the Crown Princess as hostess, in one of the 
halls of the New Palace of Potsdam, where the heir 
to the throne and his family dwelt during the summer. 
After this the Emperor went to Ems, and in August 
returned to the castle of Babelsberg, near Potsdam, 
where the Empress used to join him. At Babelsberg 
the Sovereigns received the few members of Court 
society kept in Berlin at that time of the year by their 
military or other functions. The kindness with which 
the Royal host and hostess welcomed these guests 
amply compensated for the annoyance of these in- 
vitations, which obliged the recipients to leave Berlin 
in full evening dress at midday by an ordinary train 
without even a reserved carriage for the Emperor's 
guests, because they dined in summer at four o'clock 
at the Imperial Court. At the Potsdam railway 
station carriages were waiting, but on arriving at 
the Castle there was no room in readiness where one 
could brush off the dust of the road, and ladies for 
the most part were obliged to take off their hats and 
put their hair in order without even the help of a 
looking-glass. 

In September the Empress returned to Coblenz, 
whence she went to Baden-Baden to take the cure, 
and spend a few weeks with her daughter, the Grand 
Duchess Louise. She used to stay at the Hotel Mess- 
mer, where she occupied an extremely modest apart- 
ment. After the manoeuvres the Emperor spent a 
short time at Baden, and returned to Berlin by the 
end of October ; the Empress joined him much later. 
The Grand Duchess, at that period of the year, used 
to spend a few weeks with her father, for whom she 

74 



The Emperor Goes Shooting 

had the greatest affection. She was his favourite 
child, and he loved her, too, with an infinite tender- 
ness. In the course of the autumn big shooting 
parties were given at the Imperial Court, and the 
Emperor also accepted shooting invitations at the 
country estates of a few great noblemen, such as 
Count Stolberg-Wernigerode, Prince Pless, the Duke 
de Sagan, and the Duke of Ratibor. In December 
the Empress returned to Berlin, where the winter 
season usually opened with a grand dinner to the foreign 
ambassadors accredited at their Court, and by another 
to which the principal members of the Imperial house- 
hold were invited. 



75 



CHAPTER V 

A DISAPPOINTED LIFE 

I HAVE spoken of the personal characteristics of the 
Emperor William I. ; it is now time perhaps to 
refer to the Empress. She must occupy an important 
place in any more or less conscientious chronicle of 
the reign of William I. The part she played in his 
life was considerable, though entirely different from 
the role she would have chosen for herself. The 
life of Augusta can be described in one word — dis- 
appointment. She was disappointed during the whole 
course of her royal career ; but she was never dis- 
illusioned, because she neither realised her own im- 
perfections nor succeeded in understanding that she 
alone was responsible for the numerous deceptions 
which she practised on herself. She was the first 
Empress of the new Empire, and this fact alone would 
have been sufficient to immortalise her name, and 
to give her a preponderant place in that Empire 
even if she had had no personal qualities of her own, 
which, indeed, was not the case. 

The Empress Augusta possessed many real and 
great virtues, but unfortunately she never knew how 
to adapt herself to circumstances, and, as a result, 
her life was at the same time active and self-effacing, 
energetic and full of indecision, ridiculous and sublime 

76 



Shortcomings of an Empress 

in the impulses of real and fervent charity, which 
always induced her to try to aid the numerous human 
miseries which she met on her path. What she needed 
most was tact, and her principal shortcoming was 
her false and exaggerated idea of what she considered 
to be her duty. Her lack of dignified simplicity 
harmed her immensely, and her efforts to surround 
herself with those who knew how to flatter her pro- 
cured her a considerable number of enemies. As a 
mother she was admirable, and yet she never acquired 
any real influence over her children. As a wife she was 
a model of devotion, without, however, succeeding in 
living upon good terms with the Emperor. She tired 
him, just as she tired all those whom she allowed 
around her, by her affectation, her manner of speak- 
ing, her caprices, her desire to make her own 
opinions prevail over those of others, and by her 
intransigence. She mapped out for herself a line 
of conduct, and perhaps, because of the power she 
possessed to carry anything through at all costs, she 
forgot that although circumstances may arise which 
demand the abridgment of even the best - planned 
programme, it sometimes becomes impossible to draw 
back. 

Augusta, in reality, was a conventional sovereign 
such as met with in those books which are specially 
written for the young ; she was not a Queen who 
could touch the hearts of her subjects or inspire them 
to any unselfish devotion. She was never popular, 
and perhaps she did not seek to become so ; crowds 
did not frighten her, but were repugnant to her in- 
stincts. She^did good around her, simply from a 

77 



Memories of Forty Years 

feeling of duty and of aristocratic pride, but without 
even trying to enter into the details of the misery 
or the sufferings which she hastened to relieve, simply 
because she thought it necessary, and not because 
it afforded her any pleasure or interest in her fellow 
creatures. She desired above everything else to play 
worthily her part as Empress and to safeguard her 
personal dignity. She remained faithful to that feeling 
all her life, and completely surrendered her whole 
being to her haughty principles. With an energy 
surprising in one so frail and ill, she insisted, as she 
was incapable of walking, on being carried to the 
old Castle the first time that the present Emperor, 
William II., entered it after his accession to the throne, 
in order that she should be the first to greet the new 
monarch. Although she was his grandmother, she con- 
sidered herself nevertheless as his first subject. 

Augusta's existence, as I have said already, was 
nothing but one long disappointment. Her youth 
was spent sadly at the little Court of Weimar, under 
the eyes of her mother, a Princess of a very cold and 
haughty character. Her mother was very proud of 
the fact that by birth she was a Russian Grand Duchess, 
and used to domineer over everyone wherever she went, 
and indeed in her own family circle she inspired more 
fear than affection. In spite of this she was extremely 
intelligent, a lover of literature, and admirably sus- 
tained the traditions of her family, which was so 
famous for its attachment to all intellectual matters, 
and particularly for its friendship for that great 
personality, Goethe. She would not admit any 
superiority above her own, nor allow familiarity on 

7S 



Empress Augusta's Youth 

the part of her children, whom she used to treat more 
as would a queen than a mother. The Princess 
Augusta had therefore a very solitary youth, and 
tried to forget her loneliness by study and reading. 
Her instruction as well as her education was con- 
ducted most carefully ; the Grand Duchess of Weimar, 
who was very ambitious for her daughters, had desired 
to prepare them well for their future Imperial duties. 
The Empress used to tell her friends that she had 
been taught the art of polite conversation by being 
forced to talk to empty chairs, each of which was 
supposed to represent some great personage. Un- 
fortunately this exercise appeared to have created 
the habit of treating living men like inanimate things, 
for she spoke so automatically to those who sur- 
rounded her that the impression was irresistibly 
conveyed that it was absolutely indifferent to her 
what kind of reply she received. Her expressions 
never went beyond certain phrases, always prepared 
beforehand, and this fact alone was sufficient to 
render any conversation with her embarrassing as 
well as difficult. She had no spontaneity either in 
her character ; everything natural seemed absolutely 
unknown to her. Her whole deportment was studied 
and designed to impress those around her. Her life 
was a pose, and her intelligence seemed to be con- 
verged on one point only, that of never forgetting 
her privileges as an Empress. She gave one the im- 
pression that she would have made an inferior actress, 
but one who studied her parts thoroughly well. 

Her nature was perhaps affectionate, certainly 
kind and compassionate, but she was neither sym- 

79 



Memories of Forty Years 

pathetic nor obliging, and could only ask or refuse 
anything in a clumsy and awkward way. This 
awkwardness clung to her in every possible circum- 
stance — in her family relations, in her married life, 
as well as in her public career. Though she considered 
herself an artist, she was not gifted with any real 
artistic feelings ; her taste was deplorable, her literary 
knowledge, though certainly deep, did not go beyond 
a certain area, and she had not been able to shake 
off the influences of the eighteenth century, the spirit 
of which had presided over her education. She was 
fond of French authors, and liked to protect them 
in preference to German writers. Her favourite read- 
ing was that of the " Revue des Deux Mondes," some of 
the contributors to which — such as Maxime Du Camp, 
for instance — she had known personally at Baden- 
Baden. Her political tendencies were legitimist more 
than anything else, and if she showed great interest 
in Napoleon III. after the disasters of 1870, it was 
again more through affectation than through any 
feeling of friendship or of compassion. In this instance, 
as well as in all others, she desired, above everything 
else, to put herself forward in the light she considered 
to be the proper one. 

The married life of the Empress brought her 
nothing but great deceptions. She had been very 
well aware of the affection which Prince William 
of Prussia had entertained for his cousin, the Princess 
Elisa Radziwill, and she had understood that his 
marriage with her had been nothing else but one of 
convenience, in which political expediency alone had 
been the agent. It is probable that this circumstance 

80 





►— i 

o 

CO 

<1 

W 

o 

E-i 

W 

W 



Frederick's Early Training 

filled her with a bitterness which left its impress 
deeply on her soul. She had nothing, or at least very- 
little, in common with the husband who had been 
imposed upon her, and secretly she despised his 
military tastes. Even the birth of their two children 
did not bring the couple nearer to each other. 

The Princess of Prussia fulfilled her motherly 
duties with the same rigid thoroughness which she 
put into all her other duties, but her efforts were not 
rewarded. Even in regard to her children the an- 
tagonism which divided her from the Prince made 
itself felt. The Princess of Prussia, as she was called 
at that time, wanted to prepare her son Frederick 
for his career as a future sovereign, and to help him 
to understand the duties which it entailed upon him, 
as well as to awaken his natural instincts of chivalry. 
The Prince of Prussia, on the contrary, clung to the 
old traditions of the Hohenzollerns, which did not 
admit sentiment of any kind, and still less a deep 
affection. 

The result of this state of things was that the 
relations between mother and son were very intimate 
at first, especially before the marriage of the future 
Crown Prince, whilst those of the King with his heir 
never went beyond the limits of an affection, very 
respectful on the one side, and sometimes very 
impatient on the other. 



81 



CHAPTER VI 

AN EMPRESS'S FOIBLES 

UNTIL the day she ascended the Prussian throne 
the Empress Augusta led a very retired life. 
She did not care to be in Berlin, where she always 
felt in a false position because, although the mother of 
the future heir presumptive to the crown, she did not 
exercise any real influence. The reigning Queen, Eliza- 
beth, had no great affection for her, and between 
her and her elder sister, the Princess Charles of Prussia, 
there existed a kind of worldly rivalry that tended 
to interfere with their relations to each other. Her 
haughty and intriguing nature seethed with impatience 
at the secondary part she found herself obliged to 
play. So patent was her position that many who 
were not well-disposed toward Augusta took occasion, 
whenever opportunity occurred, to taunt her upon 
this impotence which, naturally, made matters worse. 

Her political opinions were essentially opposed 
to those of her husband, and the riots which had 
taken place in Berlin in 1848 had painfully impressed 
her. She could not forgive the Prince for having 
fled the capital, and she did not scruple to say so 
whenever she had opportunity. 

She lived a life of her own in the royal castle of 
Coblenz, and in her actions a kind of tacit opposition 

82 



Domestic Troubles 

to the men then in power held a large place. In regard 
to her husband she frequently showed fits of im- 
patience which did not make him inclined to seek 
consolation and encouragement at his own fireside. 
A deep gulf divided the couple very soon, and the 
numerous infidelities of the Prince, which had not 
been hidden from the knowledge of the Princess, had 
aggravated the sufferings endured by her vanity, 
and by her fiery nature, which always inclined her 
to exaggerate everything. Sometimes her agitation 
bordered on insanity. She was always restlessly active, 
and could not refrain from intrigue when she found 
nothing else to do ; she was given, also, to pouring 
into any willing ear her catalogue of personal woes 
and feelings. These characteristics were exceedingly 
unfortunate, as her absence of tact made her take 
a multitude of wrong steps, in politics as well as in 
her private life. In this way she created many enemies. 

The Empress was fully convinced of her own per- 
fections and intelligence, and in making friends sought 
them among people who succeeded — an easy task — 
in persuading her that they shared her opinions and 
her way of looking at things. Unfortunately for her, 
there were very few among those so-called friends 
who were really attached to her. They generally 
made use of her, they frequently compromised her, 
but they could never give her good advice, because 
she had never been able to choose her friends among 
the right people, and never felt disposed to listen 
to any who were really competent to guide her 
footsteps. 

Augusta entertained high ideas of her duties 

83 



Memories of Forty Years 

as a sovereign, for which she had prepared herself for 
a considerable number of years. She had mapped 
out an entire programme of conduct from the day 
when she became Queen, and when that consummation 
arrived at last she did not attempt to hide from the 
public the satisfaction that the fact afforded her. 

Concurrently with Augusta becoming Queen, her 
relations with the King considerably improved. He 
allowed her to exercise in a certain measure her 
devouring activity in the domain of charity, and the 
amount of useful institutions founded at the instiga- 
tion of the Empress Augusta have remained to this 
day witnesses of an activity which she sustained 
during the whole course of her long life. Her subjects 
owe her much in that respect. The Augusta Stift in 
Charlottenburg is an institution which will always 
remind the German nation of the solicitude of that 
sovereign for the welfare of those women who are 
dependent upon their own exertions for their daily 
bread. Without her it is almost certain, too, that 
the Red Cross Society would never have been able 
to develop itself so rapidly as it did. Every attempt 
made to alleviate misery and privation or to work 
toward the accomplishment of some great social reform, 
found in her a steadfast protector. 

During the war of 1866, and later on in 1870, the 
Queen considerably extended her efforts. The care 
which she took of the wounded, no matter what 
nationality they belonged to, deserves the highest 
praise. She was interested in everything that touched 
the welfare of the poorer classes, hospitals especially, 
and to her praise it must be said that she never 

84 



The Empire Proclaimed 

made the slightest distinction between Protestant 
charitable institutions or those of Catholic persuasion. 
Her religious tolerance was considerable, though her 
secret sympathies were more Catholic than otherwise, 
and it is quite certain that during the Kulturkampf 
she showed herself the most serious antagonist Bismarck 
had to fight. He never forgave her for her attitude 
in regard to that question. 

When the German Empire was proclaimed at 
Versailles, the Empress was greatly concerned, and 
did not hide from the public her disapproval of all 
that was going on. In reality what had angered her 
more than anything else was that she had not been 
consulted on the matter ; in fact, she only heard of 
the event when it was publicly announced. Perhaps 
her feelings had suffered as much as her self-conceit 
to find that the King had considered her so little in 
this important circumstance that he had not even 
tried to discuss it with her. Nevertheless, she entered 
quickly into her new position, and soon learned to 
appreciate fully the Imperial Crown which had been 
put upon her head so late in life. She became most 
punctilious in everything that concerned matters of 
etiquette, and used to spend a great deal of her time 
in formulating a new code of precedence, trying to 
revive the traditions of the old German Empire. 

In this she was very different from the Emperor, who 
never thought of himself as anything else but King 
of Prussia, and who, until his death, remained more 
proud of this title than of being Emperor, for the 
reason that he held the former by the grace of God, 
and not, as the latter, by the good-will of some people 

85 



Memories of Forty Years 

for whom, when all is said and done, he did not care 
in the least. 

The proclamation of the Empire brought about a 
considerable change for the better in the relations 
between the royal couple. To speak the truth, sub- 
jects of discussion between them abounded just as 
much as formerly, and that of the dominating power 
which the events of 1870-1 awarded to Prince Bismarck 
added itself to the already long list. The Empress 
could not bear the Chancellor, who returned her aversion 
with interest. He despised her perpetual intrigues, 
and at the same time dreaded them, because he knew 
how painfully they affected the King. He was annoyed 
to find her always in his way, and to be obliged to treat 
with respect a person whose intelligence he so thoroughly 
disdained. He also felt angry with the Empress for 
the tenacity with which, whenever she wanted to get 
anything out of him, she importuned the Emperor, 
until he yielded to her out of absolute weariness. 

The Chancellor, moreover, could not forgive Augusta 
for putting herself into open opposition with the policy 
for which he was responsible, and for indulging in 
childish conspiracies against him, together with certain 
of her circle, whose sympathies with France rendered 
them suspicious in his eyes. 

As I have hinted, the Empress was not fortunate 
in her choice of friends ; her most immediate entourage 
was composed of people of the most moderate in- 
telligence, and who belonged to a circle that had few 
family traditions, and were considered petty and mean 
by the German aristocracy. These, however, were the 
only persons with whom she felt at ease, though she 

86 



Augusta's Little Failings 

treated them with characteristic disdain. She was 
always amiable with everybody, but her amiability 
was so thoroughly exaggerated, that one felt at once 
it contained in its manifestations no sincere cordiality 
or real sympathy. She liked, above everything else, 
to shower complimentary trivialities even upon those 
whom she disliked. In this, as in so many other 
things, she differed from her daughter-in-law, whose 
frank and open nature never left any one in doubt 
as to what were her feelings. 

The Empress Augusta suffered, too, from a shade 
of smallness in her character ; when she desired to 
express her displeasure, she did so by manifestations 
of apparent impoliteness that wounded people to the 
quick. Lacking, too, an independence of character, 
she often received persons whom she detested, but 
she treated them as badly as it was possible, whereas 
it would have been far more dignified had she frankly 
excluded them from her receptions. 

She was never able to grant a favour with good 
grace, nor could she refuse anything with firmness ; 
even her charity, though it was unbounded and immense, 
did not seem to proceed from her good heart ; she used 
to spoil all her philanthropic demonstrations by a 
natural awkwardness, which never allowed her to 
smile when she was conferring a favour. And some- 
times in life a smile or a word of encouragement pro- 
duces more good, and wins more hearts, than thousands 
spent with ostentation, but without real warmth of 
soul. 

It may seem a paradox that the greatest defect 
of this unfortunate sovereign, who lived and died un- 

87 



Memories of Forty Years 

appreciated even by her nearest and dearest, con- 
sisted in a wrong and badly developed conception of 
her duties. In reality, however, it is not so, and 
whoever has known the Empress Augusta will at once 
understand what it is I mean. 

She tried to apply everywhere, rightly or wrongly, 
the programme she had sketched out for herself. The 
numerous charitable deeds and institutions in which 
she interested herself remained empty of any elevating 
spirit, just as did the actions of her life ; her intrigues 
were always second-rate, because she tried to hide 
them also under the mask of duty ; she vigorously 
took up the Catholic cause during the Kulturkampf, 
because she imagined that by doing so she was fulfilling 
an obligation of charity first and of justice afterwards. 

In her own way she constantly opposed Prince 
Bismarck, because she quite sincerely believed his con- 
duct was of a nature to harm the monarchy at whose 
head stood her husband. This she thought was the 
motive which actuated her hostility, but the real 
reason was her personal antipathy to the Chancellor. 
In him she feared a rival in the influence which she 
wanted to wield over the Emperor, whom she did not 
love, but whom she aspired to govern, at least in 
what concerned the inner questions of their mutual 
existence. 

She detested the Crown Princess, under the pretext 
that it was her duty because she did not find her 
sufficiently German in heart and manners. In doing 
so she utterly forgot that at times she herself was too 
entirely French in her sympathies to be able to bear 
with proper dignity the burden of the Imperial Crown 

88 



Imperial Peculiarities 

which the Franco- German war had placed upon her 
head. 

She was never logical, seldom tactful, and did not 
recognise the ridicule she excited. At Court functions 
she used, until her widowhood, to dress in the lightest 
of colours, and to cover herself with artificial flowers, 
and never noticed the bad taste she displayed in adorning 
herself like a young girl. She had an unfortunate 
habit of always making gestures with her hands, giving 
thus an impression of a perpetual movement, that so 
thoroughly unnerved those with whom she was talking 
that they became quite fidgety, and kept wishing the 
conversation would come to an end. 

I am not going here to talk about the political 
activity of the Empress Augusta, I am only speaking 
of her social influence, which was considerable, but 
did not add to the popularity of the reigning house. 
If the Emperor had not been always beside her, in- 
variably kind, good, amiable and gracious, it is probable 
that the Berlin Court would not have been so brilliant 
as it was. 

Yet, notwithstanding all I have said, it is only 
fair to admit that at root Augusta's instincts were 
higher, nobler, more artistic, more generous, and 
more unselfish than those of her Imperial Consort, 
but she succeeded only too well in obscuring these 
qualities by her self-deceptions and superficialities. 



89 



CHAPTER VII 

PRINCE FREDERICK 

WHEN, on my marriage, I came from St. Peters- 
burg to my new home in Berlin the Crown 
Prince of Germany was forty- two years old. Disillu- 
sions and deceptions, from which he was to suffer later, 
had not yet broken him ; that perpetual waiting for 
the Crown, in which his whole life was spent — for one 
can hardly take into account the three short months 
during which he occupied the throne— had not yet 
demoralised him. Popular not only with the army, 
but with the nation, he was familiarly called " Our 
Fritz " ; and his brave conduct during the two diffi- 
cult campaigns out of which Prussia had emerged 
transformed into an Empire, had won for him the 
admiration of even the most resolute adversaries that 
the monarchy possessed in Germany. 

The Prince was respected ; he inspired confidence ; 
and many people placed in him their hopes for the 
future. At the time when I was married, no one 
supposed that the Emperor was going to live to the 
age of ninety-one and that his son's death would 
follow almost immediately upon his own. The Prince, 
therefore, was looked upon as the sovereign of the 
morrow, whose reign might begin at any moment ; 
and, since at that time he was in the full strength of 

90 




w^^v-U^/l>it J<^^yy- 



EMPEROR FREDERICK 111 OF PRUSSIA 



After the Franco-German War 

his manhood, resplendent in health and life, people 
delighted to gather round and flatter him. Even his 
personal relations with his father, which at one time 
had been extremely strained, began materially to 
improve. 

The years which followed the Franco- German War 
were perhaps the most peaceful and happy ones in 
the life of Frederick III. Later, many cares darkened 
his life and bereft him of hope and self-confidence, 
also of his faith in the possibility of doing the good 
about which his great soul had dreamed. But in 1873 
he was still the Knight of Lohengrin, with a splendid 
physique and with a noble character, always ready 
to rush to the defence of those who were ill-treated or 
trodden upon, and to interest himself in every worthy 
cause. 

I have often thought of him since those long- past 
days, and I like to do so in the light in which he ap- 
peared to me when, for the first time, I saw him in his 
white cuirassier uniform — the pattern of strength, 
vigour, and manhood, with whom it seemed impossible 
to associate any idea of illness, suffering, or death. 
Many years ago I committed to paper a word-portrait 
of him, and in re-reading the description it seems to 
me that it still gives apt expression of my opinion 
regarding the personality of the Emperor. I hope I 
shall be forgiven if I quote the words I used at 
that time. I do not think I could add anything to 
them to-day, and I think I judged Frederick III. and 
his father rightly when I said that their characters 
offered many points of resemblance. 

" The one as well as the other was always willing 

91 



Memories of Forty Years 

and ready to sacrifice his own person to the welfare 
of the State — with one essential difference, however, 
for whilst the old Emperor was always conscious of 
the dignity of the Crown, his son thought more about 
that of its wearer. Brought up in different times, 
the Crown Prince was all his life more or less under 
the impression of the humiliation which the events 
of 1848 had made upon his youthful mind. He had 
grown up under it, just as his father had entered 
life under the more terrible shadow of Jena and the 
disasters through which Prussia had seen its very 
existence threatened. An abyss lay between the two 
men : the abyss which separates the sacred rights of 
kings from those of a sovereign people. William I. 
had seen the foot of the Corsican adventurer pressed 
down heavily upon his nation and his dynasty ; he 
remembered the tears of his mother, and all those 
dark days when the Queen of Prussia wept in a mean 
little room at Memel. Frederick III. had witnessed 
the invasion of the palace of his fathers by the mob, 
and its triumph in the streets of the capital. He grew 
up with the image of Lassalle before his eyes, whilst 
his father had had that of the great Napoleon. 

" This explains the difference between the two men. 
and their respective characters. In his father's days 
no differences divided fathers from their sons ; they 
had one common object in view : the defeat of the 
man in whom they saw the enemy of all that they 
held dear. It was not a question of taking another 
generation's place, but the far, far more important one 
of winning back the place in which an usurper had 
boldly installed himself. Both young and old found 

92 



After the English Pattern 

themselves united in a common cause against a common 
foe. 

" With Frederick III. things were very different. 
Born with a critical turn of mind and a most generous 
disposition, he was by nature the sort of man who 
would embrace any new idea if he thought it could be 
conducive to his neighbour's good. Brought up in 
Liberal opinions by his mother, profoundly imbued with 
a sense of obligation towards humanity in general, 
his greatest mistake, if mistake it can be called, 
was to put humanity before individualities and 
nationalities. 

" He was not obstinate, and yet there was in him 
a good deal of that perseverance in opinions which has 
always been one of the characteristics of the Hohen- 
zollerns. Devoted to his wife, and influenced by his 
father-in-law, the late Prince Consort, he had taken 
him for his model, forgetting that the position of a 
German Prince Consort in constitutional England could 
not be compared to that of the legitimate sovereign 
of Prussia. He did not realise that the great respect 
which Prince Albert displayed, and with which he 
tried to imbue Queen Victoria, for constitutional 
government, might have its source in the fact that 
British public opinion would never have forgiven him 
had he ever forgotten it. Wisdom is often a matter 
of necessity ; it is certain that at the time of the 
famous struggle between the old Emperor and his son, 
in the early days of the reign of William I., he was 
right, and the Crown Prince was wrong in fact, how- 
ever much he might have been justified in theory. 
This struggle unfortunately created a bitterness be- 

93 



Memories of Forty Years 

tween the two men, which even the glorious events 
that led to the restoration of the Empire did not 
succeed in effacing. 

" It would have been difficult to find a more loving 
personality than that of Frederick III. ; he was every- 
thing that is noble, everything that is good ; to be 
near him was to get away from the pettiness, the fret, 
the evil, the injustices of so-called society. His mind 
was noble, *his nature was true, his heart was kind. 
He had known disappointment and sorrow, had 
measured the ingratitude of mankind, had been con- 
fronted by some of the most serious problems of life, 
and had never failed in any of his duties. His was 
an heroic existence — as heroic as was his death. He 
had but few faults, and these were mostly of a kind 
which would have been called qualities in anyone else. 
A dutiful son, an admirable husband and father, a 
faithful friend, a good man, there is no doubt that 
he would have made an excellent sovereign. 

" His political qualifications have been discussed. It 
is certain that he had not the proud conviction of the 
nobility of his mission which distinguished his father, 
nor the brilliancy which characterises his son, but 
he had a natural uprightness and a sound common 
sense which would have carried him through any 
difficulty, public or private. Schooled into submission 
to circumstances by long years of weary waiting for 
a Crown which ultimately was only to be his for three 
months, and grateful by nature, it is certain he would 
never have dismissed Prince Bismarck, nor have 
attempted to rule in defiance of public opinion, as his 
impetuous son has so often done. He would have 

94 



The Crown Prince's Diary 

put his vast experience of public affairs at the service 
not only of his country, but of the world in general. 

" His life was in some respects a painful one. It is 
certain that at no time, even when he exercised his 
Regency, did he wield great influence on public affairs ; 
he was always suspected by his father, and made use 
of by Bismarck when the latter found himself in want 
of support against some opinion of the old Emperor's. 

" The diary of the Crown Prince during the Franco- 
German War, compared with the memoirs of Prince 
Bismarck, throws a curious light upon the use that 
was made of the former by the real master of the 
German Empire, one of whose greatest talents was the 
ability to discover the peculiarities of other people 
and to turn them to the profit of his own schemes. 
Thus, during the long negotiations which preceded 
the memorable day when the old palace of the kings 
of France was the scene of the greatest triumph of their 
immemorial enemies, had it not been for the Crown 
Prince, it is doubtful whether the proclamation of 
the Empire could have taken place so easily as it did 
at last. In this eventful circumstance Frederick III. 
showed himself a wiser statesman than his father, 
perhaps because he had at the same time fewer 
prejudices. 

" And yet he was, if possible, more imbued than 
his father with a sense of the inferiority of all the other 
German princes in comparison with his own race. To 
illustrate my meaning I will relate a curious con- 
versation I had with the then Crown Prince after 
the tragic death of King Ludwig of Bavaria. 

" We met at the wedding breakfast of the Countess 

95 



Memories of Forty Years 

Schleinitz, one of the greatest friends of the Crown 
Princess, who had become the wife of the late Austrian 
Ambassador in St. Petersburg, Count Volkenstein. Dur- 
ing the meal I was sitting next to the Prince, who had 
that very same morning returned from Munich, where 
he had represented his father at the funeral of the un- 
fortunate king. Of course, the latter' s mysterious end 
was the subject of all conversations and, naturally 
enough, it formed part of ours. I had myself returned 
that same day from Paris, where I had been on a visit 
to my aunts ; and the Crown Prince asked me what 
was the impression produced in the French capital by 
the event. 

" The conversation then drifted into another chan- 
nel, and touched upon the foundation of the German 
Empire, when the heir to the throne, in recapitulat- 
ing the different facts which had made this restora- 
tion possible, spoke of what in his opinion ought to 
be the feelings of German princes towards the new 
organisation which they had helped to build. He 
then used these remarkable words, speaking in French : 
* Les princes allemands devraient toujours se souvenir 
qu'ils ne sont que les pairs de V Empire— p-a-i-r-s—vous 
me comprenez ? ' (' The German princes should always 
remember that they are only the peers of the Empire 
— p-e-e-r-s — you understand me ? ') ; and he spelled 
the word slowly, just as I have written it. The key 
to the character of Frederick III. may be found in 
this remark. 

" I have said that he was at heart a Liberal, and 
that he had the most sincere respect for constitutional 
government. Indeed, he carried this respect almost 

96 



Empress Victoria's Influence 

too far — too far, at least, for the heir to a throne whose 
principles were so essentially different from those 
which have helped to make the grandeur of the English 
monarchy. 

" In that sense he was, perhaps, too much under 
the influence of his wife ; though, on the other hand, 
the Princess would have been decidedly more popu- 
lar if she had not yielded as much as she did to certain 
opinions of her husband. In many cases the Princess 
was, I think, credited with influencing her husband, 
when it was not true, as in one memorable instance, 
that of the execution of the would-be assassin of the 
old Emperor, young Hodel. At that time (the law 
has been modified since that day) it was imperative 
for the King of Prussia to sign personally every death 
warrant. William I. hated so much this part of his 
duties that no capital execution had ever taken place 
during his reign 

" When he was fired upon by Hodel he declared 
at once his intention of pardoning the unfortunate 
wretch. But then took place the second, Nobiling's, 
attempt, in which the aged monarch nearly lost his 
life. Whilst he lay on his sick-bed, Hodel was tried, 
and of course sentenced to death. The Crown Prince 
was Regent. It was impossible for him to show him- 
self merciful, especially in view of all that had been 
said regarding his relations with his father ; but though 
he never hesitated one moment to do what his duty 
required of him, his repugnance to the application of 
the death penalty was so profound that he allowed the 
public to learn something of it. Indeed, he went so 
far as to tell the British Ambassador, Lord Ampthill, 

h 97 



Memories of Forty Years 

who, with his wife, was among his greatest friends, 
that he had never felt more unhappy than on the day 
when, by a stroke of his pen, he had sent a human 
creature into eternity. 

" The Crown Princess, though quite as kind as her 
husband, did not entirely share his opinions on that 
delicate point, as I happen to know. If she sought to 
influence him at all it would have been to overcome 
his scruples, but she did not do so, and remained per- 
fectly neutral ; but, as people in Berlin always blamed 
her for everything that they did not like in the Crown 
Prince, she was made responsible for the hesitation, 
if it could be called by that name, which he had dis- 
played when confronted by one of the painful duties 
of his high position." 

I hope the reader will forgive me for this long- 
quotation. Perhaps it is the desire not to reawaken 
bitter memories that has tempted me to use it. 
Perhaps, also, it is the feeling that nothing I could say 
now would be able to render him so well the justice 
he deserves as the words I wrote when all these things 
were fresh in my mind, undistorted by the glamour or 
the dimness of time. Perhaps if I tried to speak about 
Frederick III. to-day I should do so with less reticence, 
and less justice in regard to certain people who were 
connected with the sad events that preceded his end, 
and this might not be quite fair, because I was not in 
Berlin at the time of his last illness and death, so 
could only speak about it from hearsay. 

In these circumstances it seems to me that I ought 
to abstain from relating what I have heard concern- 
ing that most pitiable subject and the differences which 



Imperial Misunderstandings 

arose between the Empress Victoria and her eldest son, 
the present Monarch. Unfortunately it is certain that 
misunderstandings arose between them, which, as usual 
in the like occasions, were rendered unnecessarily 
acrid by the interference of third parties. It is also 
certain that painful scenes followed upon the passing 
away of the unfortunate sovereign, but I do not think 
it wise to bring back to public remembrance events 
which ought to be forgotten, and actions which are 
certainly to-day the object of regret to those who 
were led into performing them. I prefer trying to call 
back to my mind the affectionate welcome which I 
invariably received from the Emperor Frederick, and 
his soft, ever indulgent voice, which still rings in my 
ear as I am re-reading his last message, a few words 
written in pencil not many days before he passed away, 
and which he handed over for me to my husband, 
who had been admitted to see and say a last good-bye 
to him. 

I was in Russia at the time, near my father, who 
also died that same summer. I was therefore pre- 
vented from seeing Frederick III. Perhaps it was 
for the best. It would have been too cruel to look at 
him broken down by his terrible illness and worn to a 
shadow. 



99 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE IMPERIAL FAMILY 

DURING the reign of the Emperor William I. 
the Prussian Royal Family was less numerous 
than it is now. 

The Emperor had had two younger brothers, of 
whom only one, Prince Charles, was alive when I 
arrived in Berlin. He was a pleasant, amiable old 
man, just as fascinating, if one can use such a term, as 
was the Emperor himself. He represented a perfect 
type of a grand seigneur of the eighteenth century, 
and his manner with women was the most chival- 
rous possible, with just enough reticence to allow 
them to understand that had it not been for the dif- 
ferences in social condition, and also in years, he would 
have hastened to fall at their feet. Everyone liked 
him, and the receptions he used to give in his palace 
of the Wilhelms Platz were very popular, especially 
one that used to take place every year on the 3rd of 
February, the birthday of the Princess Charles, when 
in a series of living pictures figured the prettiest 
women of the Berlin court and society. 

The Princess Charles, Princess Marie of Saxe- Weimar 
by birth, was the eldest sister of the Empress Augusta, 
but quite different from her in manner as well as in 
character, though she shared in a certain measure the 

100 



Death of Prince Charles 

affectation of the latter. She was far more sympathetic 
than her sister, and if she had not followed the example 
of the Empress in persisting in the desire to appear 
younger than she really was, and in dressing herself 
accordingly, she would have been quite charming. 
Unlike the Empress, Princess Charles sedulously avoided 
intrigue ; she was, moreover, eminently tactful. 

The sisters were not supposed to be unusually 
fond of each other; indeed, people used to say that 
the Princess Charles did not like having to yield 
precedence to her younger sister, and that she secretly 
coveted the Imperial Crown that adorned the latter' s 
brow. Be this as it may, it was necessary to be a 
very close observer to discern that the two ladies were 
not inordinately devoted to each other. 

The Princess Charles exercised an influence over 
Berlin society until her death. Her household was 
organised on luxurious lines, and the dinners she gave 
were famous for their elegance and the excellence of 
the cooking. But when she died in the beginning of 
the year 1877 the Prince shut up his house and never 
appeared again in society, except at the official assem- 
blies which he had to attend. He died suddenly, at 
the very moment when festivities were being pre- 
pared for the celebration of the silver wedding of the 
Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and his demise 
caused much perturbation in Berlin society, which had 
been eager to present its congratulations to the heir to 
the throne and to his consort — and to show the smart 
frocks it had ordered for the occasion. 

This caused the mourning for poor Prince Charles 
to be curtailed as much as possible, and his funeral 

101 



Memories of Forty Years 

was hastened with almost unseemly speed. Even the 
horses that dragged his coffin to Potsdam, where he 
was buried, appeared to share the general desire to get 
the thing over as quickly as possible. 

I remember having dined on the evening he was 
taken away from Berlin at the house of friends living at 
the corner of the Linden and Wilhelmstrasse. As we 
were drinking coffee after the meal a servant came 
to tell us that the funeral procession of the Prince 
was passing under the windows. We went to have a 
look at it, and nothing could be sadder than the sight 
of that coffin, carried away by horses at full speed, 
surrounded by valets carrying lighted tapers, and 
escorted only by a feeble detachment of troops, with- 
out one single friend or relation accompanying it. 

Prince and Princess Charles's only child was 
the famous Red Prince, Frederick Charles, who dis- 
tinguished himself at Metz and on many other battle- 
fields. He had never succeeded in making himself 
liked by anyone, being possessed of abrupt and even 
brutal manners ; but he was a clever man — clever 
enough never to allow anyone to guess that he had 
brains. One did not meet him often in society, and 
whenever he put in an appearance at some official 
reception it was always under protest, as he cared for 
no company other than that of a few officers whose 
tastes for hunting, shooting, and drinking harmonised 
with his own. 

Prince Frederick Charles had never been able to 
get on with his wife, a Princess of Anhalt Dessau. 
Yet the Princess was one of the loveliest women of her 
generation, and possessed a remarkable talent both 

102 



Relatives of the Emperor 

for music and for painting. She had a great affection 
for young girls, and used to advise them with the 
greatest solicitude when first they entered society, as 
I had the opportunity to experience personally. I 
shall always remain grateful to her for the indulgence 
and sympathy with which she honoured me, and shall 
never forget her good advice to me on more than 
one occasion. 

Unfortunately she was almost completely deaf, which 
caused her to show extreme timidity and embarrass- 
ment whenever she found herself in company ; but 
when she was alone with you, and not disturbed by 
the noise of many conversations around her, she be- 
came quite charming, and really witty. 

She had had one son and three daughters, the two 
eldest of whom were extremely pretty. They both 
died when still quite young. The eldest, Princess Mary, 
who had been married to old Prince Henry of the 
Netherlands, was united after his death to Prince 
Albert of Saxe-Altenburg, and succumbed in child- 
birth two years later ; whilst the Princess Elizabeth, 
the wife of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg, 
was also carried away after a short illness, at the flower 
of her age, leaving an only child, a girl, the Princess 
Sophy Charlotte, who is the wife of the second son of 
the Emperor William. The only surviving daughter 
of the Princess Frederick Charles of Prussia is the 
present Duchess of Connaught. 

The second brother of the Emperor William, Prince 
Albert of Prussia, died before I reached Berlin. He 
had married the Princess Marianne of the Nether- 
lands, from whom he had obtained a divorce, and 

103 



Memories of Forty Years 

had afterwards married a lady not belonging to any- 
royal or princely house — Mdlle. de Rauch, who later 
on received the title of Countess Hohenau. The two 
sons to whom she gave birth were at one time very 
popular in Berlin society. The eldest was the victim 
of a sad scandal, which is not yet forgotten, and in 
which perished his honour as well as his reputation. 

By his first wife Prince Albert had a son, who for 
a good many years prior to his death was Regent of 
the Duchy of Brunswick, and who used to come very 
often to Berlin. He was a very handsome man, and 
that is about all that I can say concerning him. The 
only daughter of Prince Albert married a Duke of 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, but their union proved most 
unhappy. 

When I knew her, the Princess Alexandrina was 
already separated from her husband, and was residing 
alone in the castle of Bellevue in the Thiergarten, 
where the Emperor had put an apartment at her 
disposal. She was seen but seldom in society, and 
lived a solitary existence, devoting her life entirely 
to the education of her only child, the Princess Char- 
lotte, who was later to marry one of the handsomest 
men in Berlin, Prince Henry XVIII. of Reuss. 

There were also in Berlin at the time two old cousins 
of the Emperor, Prince George and Prince Alexander 
of Prussia. The former was a misanthrope, with just a 
shade of eccentricity ; one rarely met him anywhere. 
The latter, on the contrary, though none too intelli- 
gent, was extremely fond of society, feminine society 
in particular. I remember that one day, at my mother- 
in-law's house, he managed to decoy into an empty 

104 



Prince August of Wurtemberg 

room a certain Madame von Wildenbruch, the wife of 
an illegitimate son of Prince Louis Ferdinand of 
Prussia, and began kissing her with fervour, to the 
extreme stupefaction and anger of the lady in question, 
who, it must be added, was at that time nearly seventy 
years of age. 

Another personage in Berlin at this time deserving 
of mention was Prince August of Wurtemberg, the 
brother of the Grand Duchess Helen of Russia. 
He was in command of the Imperial Guards, and 
treated by the Royal Family with great respect. 
Physically, he reminded one of the Emperor, whilst 
the manners and conversation of the two men bore a 
close resemblance. Everybody liked Prince August, 
and his amiability was quite proverbial. 

Then there was Prince Frederick of Hohenzollern, 
the youngest brother of the late King of Roumania, 
who after having led for a considerable number of years 
the life of a very gay bachelor, had at last married the 
charming Princess Louise of Thurn and Taxis, the niece 
of the Empress Elisabeth of Austria. 

When this marriage took place the Empress Augusta 
for once showed herself prudent, and, not wishing the 
Princess to move in the society in which Prince 
Frederick mixed, announced that she should take 
status as a Prussian Princess, and return the calls 
only of those ladies of Berlin society whose rank gave 
them the right to this distinction. 

The indignation of the others, who had been accus- 
tomed to treat the Prince of Hohenzollern just as any 
other person, knew no bounds, and a strong current of 
hostility established itself against the Princess Louise. 

105 



Memories of Forty Years 

She, however, was charming, pretty, gracious, and 
kind, and was careful not to show how embittered her 
life had become. She withdrew from society more 
than was necessary, and tried to efface herself as 
much as possible. I have often pitied her, because 
I liked her very much, used to see her frequently, 
and admired her enormously. 

She was one of the most sympathetic women it has 
ever been my fortune to meet, very intelligent, and 
most kind-hearted, able also to bear with dignity 
misfortunes that must have weighed heavily on her 
mind. She is a widow now, and lives in Munich. 
But she left Berlin during her husband's lifetime, 
for Prince Frederick having had a serious quarrel — I 
forget the circumstances — with the present Emperor, 
resigned his military command, and fixed his residence 
in Bavaria. 

During the fourteen years which I spent in Berlin 
I saw all the children of the Crown Prince and Princess, 
who were more or less in the nursery when I first 
knew them, grow to maturity. The Princess 
Charlotte was married at sixteen to Prince Bernard 
of Saxe-Meiningen, and soon became one of the 
loveliest and most elegant women in the capital. Prince 
Henry became a sailor, and was not often seen at 
Court, but his eldest brother, the present German 
Emperor, was beginning already to be known when I 
left Berlin, and to have both friends and enemies in 
society. 

I have never met William II. since his accession to 
the throne, but I have kept a very bright remembrance 
of his personality, such as it appeared at the period 

106 



Grand Duchess Louise of Baden 

about which I am writing. It was even then impos- 
sible not to be struck by his remarkable intelligence. 
And in addition, he was a most attractive man, and 
possessed the great gift — one of the most precious 
that Nature can bestow — of personal magnetism. 
Despite the gravity and seriousness which he affected, 
there was in him an impetuosity which was most 
difficult to resist. In spite of the buoyancy of his 
youth his judgments showed a remarkable maturity. 
He had no illusions, nor was there any cynicism at this 
time, at any rate, in his nature. 

Prince William was very fond of society and of all 
the enjoyments which it offered ; but it must be 
noticed here that from the moment he ascended the 
throne his conduct became irreproachable. 

The Princess spent the first years of her marriage 
in an almost constant state of delicate health. But 
she had the good sense never to lend an ear to all the 
gossip that went about town concerning the Prince. 
She was very happy in her home, and content to live 
on affectionate terms with her husband. Later on, 
when the Princess William became Empress, she con- 
tinued to show the tact which was, and indeed is, one 
of her foremost qualities. 

Apart from the members of the Royal Family, one 
could meet in Berlin on certain occasions most of the 
German Sovereigns and members of German reigning 
houses. The Grand Duchess Louise of Baden, the 
daughter of William I., spent many weeks there every 
year, living in the Imperial palace, and hardly ever 
leaving her father, who cherished her with a particular 
tenderness. She was a truly charming princess, and 

107 



Memories of Forty Years 

her presence always brought life and merriment into the 
serious and morose Court circle. She smoothed down, 
thanks to her perfect tact, the differences which, alas ! 
arose but too frequently between the Emperor and the 
Empress, and she knew how to manage the extreme 
nervousness and irritability of her mother. 

The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin, the sister of William I., also visited her 
brother two or three times a year. She had kept, 
notwithstanding her advanced age, traces of her former 
great beauty, and it was related that she bore a great 
likeness to her eldest sister, the Empress Charlotte of 
Russia, the consort of Nicolas I. 

The Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar also came to see 
his sisters from time to time. He was without excep- 
tion one of the dullest people I have ever met, and he 
was the terror of all those with whom he engaged in 
conversation. I remember that one day when the 
Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII., was in Berlin, 
accompanied by his eldest son, the late Duke of 
Clarence, I happened to be sitting next to the young 
Prince during supper at a party given by Count Rado- 
linski, now Prince Radolin. Opposite to us sat the 
Grand Duke of Weimar, who kept talking with his 
immediate neighbour and making such senseless re- 
marks that at last we burst out into fits of uncon- 
trollable laughter, which got still worse when the object 
of our merriment asked us what had given rise to it. 

The Duke of Clarence gravely turned towards me 
and said quite loudly, " His Royal Highness the Grand 
Duke of Weimar would like to know why we are 
laughing so much." 

108 




HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1893. 



Loyalty of the Radziwills 

Happily for me the Crown Princess, who sat at 
a table next to ours, got up at that moment, and I 
was able to avoid making a reply. But I have never 
been able to forget that evening when, with all the 
carelessness of my twenty years, I made fun in his 
very presence of such an august personage as the 
brother of the Empress Augusta. 

The latter, had she only known it, would never 
have forgiven me, and still less the Radziwill family, 
for whom every member of a royal house was almost 
a god. 



i09 



CHAPTER IX 

THE ENTOURAGE OF THE SOVEREIGNS 

THE Emperor William and the Empress liked to 
surround themselves with their friends and to 
see them constantly. This small circle, which was 
most exclusive, assembled nearly every day, and at 
these meetings Augusta found it possible to satisfy 
that love for gossip which never left her. 

The Imperial Court was very numerous, but its 
most important functionaries, though always treated 
with great honour, seldom saw the Sovereigns except 
on official occasions. The Emperor had six aides-de- 
camp, each of whom were on duty two days in 
succession. He kept them in attendance on him as 
long as possible, for he hated changes, especially 
towards the end of his life. 

Two great favourites, Prince Anthony Radziwill and 
Count Lehndorff, kept their posts of aides-de-camp 
until the demise of the Emperor, though they were 
already old generals, who ought to have retired from 
their military life long before. Then there was also 
old Count Goltz, a charming man, amiable and atten- 
tive towards ladies, whose character was a model of 
straightforwardness. He was deeply attached to 
William I., who always treated him as one of his best 
friends. 

110 



Ladies Near the Throne 

The Empress had two ladies-in-waiting — dames du 
palais, as they were called : the Countess Adelaide 
Hacke and the Countess Louise Oriolla. The Empress 
was very fond of the former, but could barely tolerate 
the latter, who, according to the scandalous chronicle 
of Berlin, had been honoured with the affections of 
the old King. The Countess Hacke was deformed, 
but possessed all the wit which is generally attri- 
buted to those whom Nature has disfigured. She 
hardly ever left her Imperial mistress, and was sup- 
posed to have a considerable influence over her. Many 
people hated her ; but I personally never had any 
ground for disliking her ; and I know, through several 
people — among them one of my greatest friends, 
Count de St. Vallier, who was on very good terms 
with her — that she was capable of doing an infinity of 
good, and that she was very loyal to those she liked. 

The Countess Oriolla, when I first met her, was a 
complete physical wreck. It was impossible to find the 
slightest signs of the beauty for which she had been 
famous in her youth and which had won her so many 
admirers in the past. But she was very distinguished 
in her manners, and her bearing was that of the very 
great lady she had been born and had remained. She 
held a prominent position in Berlin, which no one 
attempted to dispute. The Emperor was always most 
attentive to her, and when he was alone in the capital 
during the absences of the Empress at Baden or 
Coblenz, he used to spend his evenings with her. 

The Countess went a great deal into society, and 
she was the soul of a little circle which generally met 
together in the house of the old Princess Biron of 

Hi 



Memories of Forty Years 

Curland, a Russian by birth, who had the manners of 
an eighteenth century sovereign, and who for more 
than half a century exercised a regal sway over Berlin 
society — a power of which no one attempted to 
deprive her. 

Besides her two ladies-in-waiting the Empress had 
a mistress of the robes, two or three maids of honour, 
a master of the household (specially attached to her 
person), and a secretary. The mistress of the robes 
was the Countess Perponcher, an excellent and most 
worthy person, kind and amiable — a model of what a 
great lady ought to be. One could not help liking 
her, despite the frequent receptions which she used 
to give, which were considered, not without reason, 
to be appallingly dull. 

The maids of honour were changed sometimes, 
either when they married or when they could no longer 
bear the extreme fatigue which their position entailed 
upon them. The one who remained the longest time 
at this post was the Countess Alexandra von Branden- 
burg, who was related to the Prussian Royal Family, 
and who was greatly respected by the Emperor, as well 
as the Empress. Her two brothers were also for a good 
many years attached to the person of William I. 

Count Nesselrode was at the head of the household 
of the Empress. He was an insignificant little man 
whose chief qualities were his honesty, his gentleman- 
liness, and his devotion to the person of his sovereign 
lady. He was also a perfect man of the world, and, 
so far as I know, never aspired to become anything 
else. 

As for the secretary, Baron von Knesebeck, he 

112 



A Charming Duke 

constituted a great exception among the not over- 
refined society of the Prussian capital. He was a witty 
little man, full of fun, and with a real taste for art, 
literature, and music. He knew everybody, and every- 
thing that was going on in society, but never indulged 
in gossip. He became the secretary to the present 
Empress after the death of Augusta, and remained in 
that position until his death. 

This small circle of privileged people, who consti- 
tuted the intimate friends of the Empress, used gener- 
ally to meet at the Palace in the evening, at the very 
small reception of the " Tabatiere " or " Bonbonniere " 
which I have already described. 

When the Duke and the Duchess de Sagan were 
in Berlin they were invited almost daily. The Duke 
was the son of the celebrated Duchess de Dino, whose 
frailties have become legendary. He was a charm- 
ing, amiable little old man, always well shaved and 
well dressed, with a flower in his buttonhole and the 
manners of a great nobleman, not of the eighteenth 
century, but of the French Restoration. He was a 
delightful companion, an accomplished man of the 
world, who only lived for the world and for his position 
at Court, which was, as a matter of fact, the only place 
where he found himself in his right element. 

It was a necessity of his existence to pay calls, to 
spend his time going from one drawing-room to another, 
and to flit here and there, leaving behind him the re- 
membrance of the pretty, soft phrases he had uttered, 
and a faint perfume of poudre a la marechale. His 
conversation was just as entertaining as it was super- 
ficial, and one was always glad to spend an hour in 
i 113 



Memories of Forty Years 

his company, if only on account of the certainty one 
had that he would never say anything ill-natured. 
When he died at a very advanced age a whole epoch 
disappeared with him, and even those who scarcely 
knew him regretted him, because he was the last repre- 
sentative of a type that will never be met with again. 

The Duke de Sagan was married to the Countess 
Pauline Hatzfeld, the daughter of Marshal de Cas- 
tellane and the sister of the too famous Countess de 
Beaulaincourt, whose adventures have furnished such 
abundant food for criticism to all the historians of the 
Third Empire. Madame de Sagan was very different 
from her husband and as clever as the Duke was in- 
significant. She had sharp manners and a still sharper 
tongue, but her conversation was sparkling with wit, 
and her remarks as amusing as they were cutting. 
She was sometimes ill-natured, but so seldom that one 
could easily forgive her, especially as she expressed 
her opinions and judgments so funnily that no one 
could get angry at them. She was a great sports- 
woman, and was never so happy as when she was 
walking, gun in hand, in the woods that surrounded 
her princely domain of Sagan. 

In addition to the Duke and Duchess de Sagan one 
often saw at the small receptions of the Empress, 
Count William Pourtales, whose son became German 
Ambassador at St. Petersburg. He was an ex-Lovelace, 
and had a very shrewd and observant mind, and 
generally succeeded, therefore, in bringing some anima- 
tion into even these most dull parties. 

Among others who attended these intimate gather- 
ings were Field-Marshal Count Moltke, that great and 

114 



Empress Augusta's Receptions 

mute genius ; Count and Countess Redern, the latter 
a Princess Odescalchi by birth, and a charming old 
lady ; and nearly all the members of the Radziwill 
family, who enjoyed quite a privileged position at 
Court so long as William I. lived and reigned. One 
also saw sometimes the Duke and Duchess of Ratibor, 
both of whom now are dead ; and the Hohenlohes, 
whenever a member of that family was in Berlin. 

Prince Bismarck never appeared at these recep- 
tions, nor did the people who were on good terms 
with him, because the Empress was at daggers drawn, 
not only with the Chancellor personally, but also 
with all those who prided themselves upon being 
considered his friends. There were seldom any other 
people than those whose names I have mentioned at 
these small receptions which Augusta used to hold 
almost daily in her palace. She enjoyed their society, 
and felt at her ease among them, knowing that she 
could, in their presence allow herself a freedom in her 
conversations which would have been impossible before 
persons on whose discretion she could not have relied. 



115 



CHAPTER X 

COURT FESTIVITIES IN BERLIN 

SEVERAL important social events took place in 
Berlin during the thirteen years I lived there. 
And as time went on, and the Empire became less 
aggressive, court ceremonies became more and more 
imposing. 

The birthdays of the Emperor, which were at first 
celebrated by small family parties, grew to be con- 
sidered as national festivals, and the other German 
sovereigns and members of the Royal and princely 
houses made a point of coming personally to Berlin 
to present their good wishes to the aged Emperor. 
The Empress Augusta, who was never happier than 
when arranging State functions, succeeded in persuad- 
ing her Consort that the evening party, which was 
generally given on his birthday in the private palace 
which he had built for himself as Prince of Prussia, 
had better take place in the old castle. William I. 
allowed the Empress to do what she liked, though I 
think that he regretted the old times when he was 
comparatively free from pomp and show. 

It was in the old castle, too, that were solemnised 
the first Royal marriages at which I was ever present : 
that of the Princess Charlotte, eldest daughter of the 
Crown Prince and Princess, with the hereditary Prince 

116 



More Royal Weddings 

of Saxe-Meiningen, and of the Princess Elizabeth of 
Prussia, second daughter of Prince and Princess 
Frederick Charles, with the heir to the Duchy of 
Oldenburg. These two weddings, which took place 
on the same day, had given rise to much talk and 
gossip, and society had been wondering whether the 
old etiquette usually observed on such occasions would 
be followed. 

In order to explain this excitement, I must mention 
that one of the features in Prussian Royal marriages 
was always a kind of polonaise danced after the 
religious ceremony by the bride and bridegroom with 
every single member of their family, and with the 
guests of high standing, and during which all the 
Ministers walked before them, each carrying a lighted 
taper in his hand. The great question was whether 
Prince Bismarck would consent to lend himself to the 
old custom, and to perform this duty of his office. 
But the Chancellor had any amount of excuses at his 
disposal, and a few days before the one appointed for 
the double ceremony the papers announced that owing 
to a severe attack of neuralgia he had left Berlin for 
Friedrichsruhe on a short leave. 

These marriages were the first celebrated since the 
kingdom of Frederick the Great had been transformed 
into an Empire, and brought an enormous number of 
guests to Berlin. First and foremost among them 
were the King and Queen of the Belgians, who — for 
a wonder, as they were not much given to going about 
together — arrived by the same train, and conde- 
scended for once to play the part of Darby and Joan. 
The Queen, an Austrian Archduchess, had acquired 

117 



Memories of Forty Years 

the reputation of being an eccentric woman, caring 
more for her horses and dogs than for her family. 
However, on this occasion she evidently desired to 
prove herself pleasant, because anyone more gracious 
than she was would have been difficult to find. She 
allowed all the principal ladies of the society of Berlin 
to be introduced to her, and the Empress took upon 
herself the task of walking round the room with her 
and drawing her attention to the people she wanted 
her to notice. The King looked intensely bored, and 
it was easy to see that he wished himself anywhere but 
where he was. So far as I can remember, this was the 
solitary occasion when the Belgian sovereigns ever paid 
a visit to the German Court. 

The Prince of Wales, of course, arrived for his niece's 
wedding, and many of the German princes and princesses 
were present, not excepting the Weimar family. 

I have spoken already of the Grand Duke. As 
for the Grand Duchess, she was very different from 
her husband, and, though extremely ugly, was a most 
imposing Princess. She was clever, too, and upheld the 
reputation of the Weimar family. She was a Princess 
of the Netherlands by birth, a daughter of that Queen 
Anna Pavlovna who was considered to have been the 
cleverest among all the clever daughters of the Emperor 
Paul of Russia; and she kept and maintained at her 
court the traditions in which she had been reared. 
Notwithstanding her want of beauty, moreover, she 
presented a splendid figure, being always magnificently 
dressed and covered with wonderful jewels, among which 
shone a parure of rubies and diamonds that were sup- 
posed to be the finest of their kind in Europe. 

118 



The Mecklenburgs 

The Mecklenburg family also mustered in full 
force for these weddings. The Dowager Grand Duchess 
Alexandrine was always glad of an opportunity to visit 
Berlin and her brother the Emperor; she looked upon 
these sojourns in the German capital as her holidays. 
With her came her son, the Grand Duke, and his 
children, and the Mecklenburg-Strelitzes, and many 
minor German Princes, eager to be present at what 
was considered the most important gathering of 
crowned heads that had taken place for a long time. 
The Empress Augusta felt in her element, and none 
was more glad than she to be able to entertain so 
many illustrious guests. 

The wedding took place at the uncommonly incon- 
venient time of six o'clock in tne afternoon, and the 
company assembled a good half-hour earlier in the 
chapel of the old castle, where it was difficult 
to find places. After a considerable wait the pro- 
cession, heralded by chamberlains and masters of the 
ceremonies in their gold-laced uniforms, appeared in 
sight. The two bridal couples led it hand in hand, 
the Prince of Meiningen with Princess Charlotte, pre- 
ceding the heir to the Oldenburg Duchy with the 
Princess Elizabeth. The latter looked quite lovely, 
and the diamond crown that each Princess of Prussia 
wears on her wedding day suited her dark and exquisite 
beauty to perfection. 

The Princess Charlotte did not show to such advan- 
tage. Small of stature, and rather plump, she had 
not yet reached her womanly development, and looked 
more like a child than a bride — she was scarcely 
seventeen. Her dress was too heavy for her, and she 

119 



Memories of Forty Years 

had too much orange blossom and more ornaments 
than suited her. Moreover, her eyes were red and 
her cheeks flushed. It would have been difficult then 
to imagine she would ever be the beautiful woman 
she became later. 

Immediately behind the two bridal pairs walked 
the Emperor, with the Queen of the Belgians on his 
arm, and the Empress leaning on that of King Leopold. 
The other Princes and Princesses followed, and all 
eyes turned on the Crown Princess when she appeared, 
together with the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, in a court 
train bordered with ermine, and exquisite diamonds 
adorning her head and neck. She looked almost more 
agitated than her daughter, but kept bowing gracefully 
to her friends as she saw them curtseying to her as 
she passed. 

The ceremony in itself was an exceedingly brief 
one, and, indeed, would only have lasted a few 
minutes had not the Court Chaplain, Superintendent 
Kogel, thought it necessary to deliver an address to 
which no one listened. When he had finished the 
rings were exchanged, and guns fired to announce 
the event to the people gathered outside in front of 
the Palace. The Imperial and Royal personages then 
moved to the White Hall, where great court receptions 
were generally held, and took up their places under 
the dais, whilst in quick succession all the people 
invited to witness the ceremony filed past them, 
making a low obeisance to the newly married couples 
and to the Emperor and Empress. It was a splendid 
sight, and the trains and diamonds and precious stones 
of the ladies were truly wonderful. 

120 



A Quaint Ceremony 

The company then passed to the supper rooms, 
where a sumptuous meal was served, during which 
the old Emperor himself was the first to raise his 
glass in honour of his granddaughter and his niece, 
to whom he wished long life and happiness in a 
few well-chosen words. Then the most interesting 
part of the ceremony began. The brides and bride- 
grooms returned to the White Hall, where the general 
company had preceded them, taking their places oppo- 
site the dais, and leaving between it and themselves 
a large, open space which masters of the ceremonies 
kept free. Then each bride came in turn and, curtsey- 
ing low before the Emperor, made one tour of the 
room with him, and later on with each Royal prince 
present, whilst their husbands did the same with the 
Empress, the Queen of the Belgians, and the other 
Princesses. 

This quaint ceremony reminded one of the Middle 
Ages in its solemnity. First and foremost walked 
pages in red uniforms and powdered wigs ; then all 
the members of the Ministry, each carrying a large 
and heavy wax candle, or rather torch, which, it must 
be admitted, they held most awkwardly. Then came 
the brides, and after them the bridegrooms, attended 
by other pages ; the trains of the ladies were carried 
by small boys in scarlet coats and black velvet breeches. 
The ceremony, owing to the great number of Royal 
personages present, lasted something like an hour, but 
was followed the whole time with lively interest. 

A very clever man, of whom I used to be extremely 
fond, Count Kleist, the brother of Princess Pless 
happened to be standing behind me, and he suddenly 

121 



Memories of Forty Years 

bent down to my ear, saying as he did so, " The only 
thing which I regret is the absence of Prince Bis- 
marck. It would have been so amusing to see him 
with a torch in his hand, making penance for his 
sins ! " 

Many festivities followed upon that evening, in- 
cluding, among other things, a State performance at 
the Opera, as well as a large ball, after which the 
young couples left Berlin, and the guests who had 
gathered there dispersed, more or less satisfied with 
all that they had seen and heard. 

The next Royal marriage was that of the eldest 
sister of the Princess Elizabeth of Prussia, the Princess 
Mary, with old Prince Henry of the Netherlands. 
That ceremony took place at Potsdam, in August, 
1878, and was celebrated under far simpler circum- 
stances. The old Emperor was not present, being 
away in Teplitz, where he was slowly recovering from 
the wounds inflicted upon him by Nobiling. The 
Empress had returned to Coblenz, and the Crown 
Prince, who was Regent, represented his father, to- 
gether with the Crown Princess, who thus found her- 
self called upon, for the first time in her life, to appear 
in the quality of first lady in the land. The King 
of Holland, who was not yet married to the Princess 
Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, came over for the 
event, and everyone made a great fuss of him. 

As for the bridegroom, he was close on seventy, 
and looked so weak and frail that one could not 
help pitying the fair young princess about to be 
married to him. The wedding took place in the long 
gallery of the New Palace, where an altar had been 

122 



Golden Wedding Celebrations 

erected for the occasion. It was followed the next 
day by a theatrical performance, and the bride and 
her aged husband left for The Hague that same 
evening. 

Three months later the Princess was a widow, and 
suffered considerable annoyances from the King, who 
took care to appropriate to himself all the fortune of 
his brother, Prince Henry, the latter having died 
intestate. In consequence, the Princess Mary found 
herself reduced to what would have been penury had 
not the Queen Regent Emma interfered and insisted 
on a decent annuity being awarded to her young 
sister-in-law. 

It was, so far as I can remember, at this wedding 
of her eldest sister that the Princess Louise Margaret 
of Prussia, youngest daughter of Prince and Princess 
Frederick Charles, met for the first time the Duke of 
Connaught, whom she was to marry a few months 
later at Windsor. 

The next grand ceremony that I saw in Berlin was 
the celebration of the golden wedding of the Emperor 
and Empress. Unusual solemnity accompanied it, 
partly on account of the providential escape of 
William I. from the murderous hand of the assassin. 
The old sovereign having hardly recovered from its 
effects was still weak and frail ; but when it was pro- 
posed to curtail part of the arrangements that had 
been planned by the Empress before his illness, he 
would not hear of it, but insisted that the whole pro- 
gramme should be carried out. 

It was again an occasion for all the crowned heads 
of Germany to assemble in Berlin, and deputations 

123 



Memories of Forty Years 

without number from all parts of the Empire parti- 
cipated. The Universities, which had until then stood 
more or less in opposition to the government of 
Prince Bismarck, waived their prejudices, and sent 
representatives to express their congratulations to the 
Emperor and to his Consort. Never have I seen the 
old Berlin Castle filled with a more motley crowd than 
on that occasion, and I never had so vivid an impres- 
sion of the fact that the German people and its Emperor 
were indeed one in their aspirations and in celebrating 
the triumphs which they had obtained together. 

A religious service opened the festivities, cele- 
brated in that same chapel of the old castle which has 
always been associated with all the important events 
in the family life of the Hohenzollerns. It took place 
at midday, and the Empress Augusta made a magni- 
ficent entry into the small church, dressed in cloth of 
gold, and with the big diadem of brilliants that formed 
part of the Crown jewels. She looked quite splendid, 
and bore herself uncommonly well, considering the 
fact that her health had already begun to fail her. 

I shall never forget that day for a personal reason. 
Next to where I stood was Prince Bismarck, looking 
extremely bored, but at the same time most interested 
in all that was going on before us. We began to talk, 
and I expressed my surprise to see him well enough 
to be able to stand the fatigue that such a long 
ceremony entailed. He smiled, and replied that there 
were occasions when fatigue ought not to be taken 
into account. While the voice of Superintendent Kogel 
sounded in our ears as he waded through a long, 
monotonous address, we discussed many subjects, and 

124 



Marriage of William II. 

among others the attitude of the Empress Augusta. 
" What a triumph for her is this day ! " exclaimed 
the Chancellor. " And how happy she must feel to 
be able to engross everybody with attention concern- 
ing her own person ! " 

I have never forgotten the words, nor the accent 
in which they were delivered, which was in itself a 
revelation. Bismarck indeed did not like the Empress, 
and he was too brutally frank to attempt to hide it. 

Two years later the marriage of the present Emperor 
William II. took place, also in Berlin. But I was not 
in the capital at the time, so can relate nothing about 
it. The next great festivity at which I assisted was 
the silver wedding of the Crown Prince and Princess, 
in honour of which a most magnificent pageant was 
arranged. It consisted in a reproduction — so perfect 
that it is remembered to this day by those who wit- 
nessed it — of the Court of Queen Elizabeth of England. 
Countess Udo Stolberg-Wernigerode, whose golden hair 
and most stately figure reminded one of the pictures 
left to us of the Virgin Queen, was asked to imperson- 
ate her, and she did it to perfection, appearing quite 
regal in her red velvet gown, with the enormous ruffle 
and stomacher worn in the days when the daughter 
of King Henry VIII. reigned and ruled over Merry 
England. She was followed by a whole train of 
courtiers and noble dames, amongst whom one pair at- 
tracted particular attention : Prince William of Prussia, 
with Lady Ampthill, the wife of the English Ambassador. 

The cortege filed past the heroes of the day, and 
it was easy to see that the Crown Princess was posi- 
tively delighted. She appeared radiant, and every now 

125 



Memories of Forty Years 

and then, when a particularly handsome couple at- 
tracted her attention, she would bend toward her 
husband and make him look too. When the Court of 
Elizabeth had duly paraded, several couples entered the 
room and danced three quadrilles with great anima- 
tion ; one of them being an old minuet of the eight- 
eenth century reminiscent of the glories of Versailles. 
These quadrilles over, a large sedan chair was brought 
in, out of which came a fairy, dressed in flowing robes 
and transparent veil, with a wand in her hand. Advanc- 
ing toward the Crown Prince and Princess, she wished 
them every possible joy and happiness from all those 
who had taken part in the festival. The fairy was 
none other than the Princess William of Prussia, now 
German Empress. 

The silver wedding of the unfortunate man who 
was to occupy for so short a time the throne of his 
fathers was the last great ceremony at which I was 
present in Berlin. The two or three seasons that I 
still spent there were not marked by any special social 
events. And in 1887 we went to Egypt, making a 
stay of nearly a year. Then, my father having died, 
we went to Russia, where for family reasons we were 
obliged to settle. 

At that time the Emperor Frederick had already 
passed away, and things in Berlin had undergone a 
complete transformation. A new generation had grown 
up and changed the old order of affairs, under which 
Prussia had attained such unexampled prosperity. A 
few short years more, and both Moltke and Bismarck, 
together with the Empress Augusta and the Empress 
Frederick, were no more. 

126 



CHAPTER XI 

SMART SOCIETY IN BERLIN 

DURING the reign of William I. Berlin society was 
very different from what it is to-day. Berlin 
still bore a resemblance to a German Royal city 
of the eighteenth century. Social distinctions were 
very carefully observed, and the people in possession 
of the privilege of being " Hoffahig " — i.e. of being 
admitted at Court — avoided mixing with the financial 
or bourgeois society. 

The officers formed a kind of caste, very jealous of 
its own rights. The Silesian or Rhenish aristocracy 
also kept aloof from other people, and rarely married 
outside their circle. The princely families, those who 
enjoyed the title of Durchlaucht or Serene Highness, 
enjoyed special privileges ; though later, at the instiga- 
tion of the Empress Augusta, they were taken away. 
These privileges consisted in the right to precede civil 
and military functionaries of the Empire at all court 
ceremonies, to present personally their congratulations 
to the Emperor on his birthday, as well as on the 1st of 
January, and to stand on the right of the throne during 
the official balls which were given at the old Castle 
of Berlin. 

The Sovereigns were exceedingly sociable, and liked 
to honour with their presence the receptions given 
during the season in Berlin ; one saw them at the balls 

127 



Memories of Forty Years 

of the Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode, of Prince Pless, 
of the Dukes of Ratibor and Ujest, at my sister-in- 
law's, and at the different foreign Ambassadors and 
Ministers. I cannot say that the presence of the 
Empress Augusta added to the enjoyment of these 
occasions, but nevertheless invitations to houses 
which Augusta visited were treasured, because it 
gave one an established status in the society of the 
capital. 

Except for these large and solemn receptions there 
were not many parties in Berlin at that time. The 
elegance which reigns there now was as yet unknown. 
One wore high gowns for dinner, and balls as well as 
receptions began usually at eight o'clock — very rarely 
later. On the other hand, members of each social 
circle used to see a great deal of each other, but 
these circles were very exclusive ; one never met any 
foreigners. There were also a few houses which were 
always open to officers of the Guards. These were 
cruelly described in the famous book called " La 
Societe de Berlin," which created such a sensation 
at the time it was published, but as I never frequented 
the houses referred to I cannot say if the description 
was true or not, though I must own that manners 
generally were very loose in the capital of William I., 
where there was nothing between great dullness and 
excessive liberty of action as well as of language, and 
it was principally for this reason that Berlin was not 
a pleasant place to live in. Small talk, such as enjoyed 
in Paris, London, or St. Petersburg, did not exist. One 
was not often asked to dine out, and when this hap- 
pened it was always at most ceremonial meals and 

128 



Some Princely Families 

at such extraordinary hours that these invitations 
could only be considered as a kind of penance, to be 
undergone with the best grace possible. 

I have mentioned the princely families which formed 
a special circle in the capital. Among them, first of 
all, were the numerous Princes Hohenlohe, all of 
whom were the objects of special attention from the 
Royal Family. 

Prince Hohenlohe-Langenbourg, the head of the 
family, was married to a Princess of Baden, and did 
not often make an appearance in Berlin. They did 
not possess a house in the capital, and could not 
therefore entertain. He was considered to be a very 
clever man, whilst his wife was charming. Unlike so 
many German Princesses, she was entirely free from 
haughtiness. 

Prince Clovis — who later on replaced Bismarck as 
Chancellor of the Empire — generally made a point of 
spending part of the season in Berlin. He was so well 
known and is so very well remembered that I need 
not describe him in detail. He presented an absolute 
contrast to his great predecessor, both in manners 
and in his turn of mind, being most refined and 
essentially a nobleman of ancient lineage, with proud 
and illustrious ancestors. His wife, who was called 
Macha by those who knew her well, was allied through 
her mother to the Radziwill family, and I used to 
see her often. She was a very great lady, though 
rather brusque in her manners, and reminded one 
sometimes of the Duchess de Sagan. She was also 
very fond of sport. 

The Duke of Ratibor was the younger brother of 

j 129 



Memories of Forty Years 

Prince Clovis. He was married to a Princess of 
Furstenberg, the sister of the Duchess of Ujest— a 
woman of saintly character, who spent her whole life 
at home, bringing up her numerous children. She 
was ugly, and anything but intelligent ; but she was 
so entirely good and kind that it was impossible not 
to respect and like her. Sometimes she used to take 
out into society a couple of daughters unfavoured in 
their looks, for whom she gave splendid but solemn 
balls, which the Emperor and the Empress never 
failed to honour with their presence. Her husband 
had earned for himself the hatred of the Catholic 
Party because he had supported the policy of Prince 
Bismarck, and had voted for the famous Falk laws 
which brought about the Kulturkampf. At one time 
he had been considered the head of the State Catholics, 
and in Ultramontane circles he was accused of having 
become a renegade in order to obtain the help of the 
Chancellor in his money affairs, which at one time 
were much embarrassed. Personally, I do not think 
that this reproach was deserved. I feel sure that the 
Duke of Ratibor adopted the line of conduct which he 
followed until his death, simply because he was a clever 
man, and had a considerable amount of common sense. 

His brother-in-law, the Duke of Ujest, shared his 
political opinions, but was not reproached for them, 
because he had always been a Protestant. The Duke 
of Ujest was one of the richest men in Germany, but 
he did not own a house in Berlin. The Duke of Ratibor, 
on the other hand, built for himself a veritable palace 
there, which subsequently became the Austrian embassy. 
The Duke was a tall, old man, who made astonishingly 

130 



The Emperor's Birthday 

dull speeches and had a very disagreeable manner. He 
died a long time ago, and his eldest son, a really charm- 
ing man, has never married. Thus the late Duke's 
enormous fortune, together with the entailed family 
estates, will pass to one of his younger brothers. 

The Prince of Pless could rival the Duke of Ujest 
as regards riches. He used to spend every winter 
season in Berlin, where he lived in princely style, 
giving sumptuous receptions. Count and Countess 
Stolberg - Wernigerode also kept open house. The 
Stolbergs, formerly reigning Counts of the Harz, where 
to this day the head of their House is called " Unser 
Graf " by the inhabitants, were the owners of the 
splendid castle of Wernigerode, an old feudal strong- 
hold which stands proudly on the top of a high moun 
tain, and surpasses in magnificence many royal resi- 
dences. Count Stolberg and his wife, a Princess Reuss 
by birth, and aunt of the Bulgarian Queen, had a house 
of their own in Berlin, where they arranged most 
splendid balls, at which the old Emperor was always 
present. At one time the Count played an important 
part in Prussian politics, and occupied the post ol 
Vice-Chancellor during an illness of Prince Bismarck, 
who appreciated him as much as he could appreciate 
anybody. He had also been for some years ambassador 
in Vienna. The Countess, by her amiability and charm 
of manner, made one forget her want of beauty. 

For the anniversary of the Emperor's birthday 
nearly all the representatives of the princely families 
of Germany gathered together in the capital. It was 
on one of these occasions that I saw the late Duke of 
Croy, with his second wife, the widow of the Spanish 

131 



Memories of Forty Years 

Duke of Ossuna, who had been a famous beauty in 
her youth, and who still was a very handsome woman. 
I also met Prince and Princess Hatzfeld Trachenberg. 
The latter was a Russian by birth, and extremely 
pretty, too, though rather ill-natured and pretentious. 

Periodically, Prince Bliicher von Wahlstadt, the 
grandson of the famous Marshal, used to visit Berlin. 
Tradition says that a mother-in-law never finds any- 
thing kind to say about her son-in-law. Perhaps, 
therefore, I ought to say something cutting about 
mine ; but speaking quite truly, I cannot. My daughter 
is married to Prince Bliicher, and her happiness — which 
I believe to be very great and real — inspires me with 
respect. 

He is immensely rich, but exceedingly careful of his 
money, an instance of which I have already mentioned 
in the chapters of my English visit. 

Catholicism and economy are his two ruling pas- 
sions. He is a fierce Catholic, who will hardly admit 
the possibility of a Protestant entering the kingdom 
of Heaven. I remember another incident which made 
me smile. It occurred while we were still in London. 
He proposed that we should go and dine at Richmond. 
As it happened, when he suggested the plan, there 
was a mutual friend of ours present in the room, whom 
we asked to accompany us. The next day Prince 
Bliicher came to see me, and brought me the bill for 
the dinner, saying at the same time, " This is your 
share, and this is mine ; and now what shall we do 
with Meredith ? I propose we should halve him, and 
each of us pay one-half of his dinner." 

The persons whom I have just mentioned constituted 

132 



An Undesirable Influence 

the Upper Ten of Berlin society. Around them gravi- 
tated a number of lesser stars, who certainly did more 
to add to the gaiety of life than the august person- 
ages I have described. Subscription balls and so forth 
were given at the Kaiserhof hotel during the season 
for the benefit of the youth of the community who 
cared for dancing and pleasure. Real friendships, how- 
ever, were rare, and as a result there was an inordinate 
love of gossip which entirely poisoned existence and 
transformed each home into a glasshouse which re- 
mained exposed to the glances of every passer-by. 

Berlin at that time was a very small place, and one 
was never allowed to forget that fact, either at Court 
or anywhere else. The Empress liked to be kept 
au courant of everything that was going on, and as a 
result of her curiosity the people in her confidence spent 
most of their time looking out for subjects of gossip 
with which they might amuse her. One had, there- 
fore, to be very cautious in one's actions. The Empress's 
love of gossip exercised a most undesirable influence on 
society, and I think that many diplomats who were 
obliged to live in Berlin at the time suffered from it. 



133 



CHAPTER XII 

A FEW BERLIN HOSTESSES 

A MONG the few houses where one could spend one's 
^jl time really pleasantly in Berlin, but which, 
unfortunately, opened its doors only to a very, very 
small circle, may be mentioned that of the old Princess 
Biron of Curland. She was Russian by birth, being 
a member of the old family of the Princes Mestcher- 
sky, and was queenly in everything she did. The 
Emperor was very fond of her ; the Empress did not 
quite appreciate her, finding her too independent in 
her attitude, as well as in her language ; but others 
who had the honour of knowing her respected her, and 
it was considered a great favour to be admitted to 
her house. 

Once she had received you and opened her heart 
to you, you could count on her friendship and on 
her protection always and in everything. She only 
admitted a very few people to her intimacy, and one 
of her greatest friends was the Countess Louise Oriolla, 
the lady-in-waiting to the Empress. 

Princess Biron of Curland had a deep and sincere 
affection for the old Emperor William. I shall never 
forget her emotion at the time of Nobiling's attempt 
to assassinate the aged monarch. When the latter 
returned to Berlin after his recovery from the long 

134 



At the Opera 

illness which had followed upon the wounds he had 
received, the Princess, who was always extremely 
kind towards me, wrote me a note saying that he 
intended going to the Opera on the same evening, 
and that if I liked to go too she had a place for me 
in her box. Of course I accepted her offer with plea- 
sure, and thus had an opportunity of witnessing one 
of the most touching manifestations of the affection 
which the German people bore their old King. 

When we reached the Opera the public was not 
yet aware that the Emperor was expected. It was 
quite a surprise, therefore, when the doors of the small 
side box which the Royal Family used to occupy 
were opened, and the old Sovereign quietly entered 
and sat down in his usual seat in the left-hand corner. 
The first person who caught sight of him exclaimed, 
" Der Kaiser — der Kaiser ist hier ! " Instantly the 
whole house was on its feet, and one loud cry escaped 
the lips of every single person in it. " Der Konig ! 
Der Konig ! Hoch und hoch und nochmals hoch ! " 
(The King! The King! Three cheers for the King!) 
thus repeating the old German acclamation used on 
similar occasions. I do not think that anyone who 
witnessed that scene has ever been able to forget it. 

The enthusiasm was indescribable. Men yelled ; 
women threw their handkerchiefs in the air ; sobs were 
heard, and all these human beings, so different in 
tastes, in habits, in social conditions, found themselves 
for once carried away by a united feeling of affection 
toward their beloved sovereign as once more he ap- 
peared among them. 

The Emperor came to the front of the box, and 

135 



Memories of Forty Years 

for a few seconds remained quite still, looking at the 
acclaiming, excited crowd. He made a gesture as if 
he wanted to speak ; then, as if unable to bear any 
more, he withdrew to the back of his box, but as he 
did so one could see him wipe away a tear that had 
rolled down his withered cheeks. 

The house of Princess Biron of Curland was especi- 
ally the meeting-place of the members of the Royal 
Household and of the Russian Embassy. Madame de 
Radowitz, nee Ozeroff, who was also a Russian, and 
whose husband, later to become Ambassador at 
Constantinople and at Madrid, was often to be seen 
there. The receptions the Princess gave were always 
amusing, especially during the lifetime of her daughter- 
in-law, who, unfortunately, died quite young. 

There was also another house in Berlin where all 
the intellectual and artistic elements in the capital used 
to assemble. It was that of the Countess Schleinitz, 
who later became the Countess Volkenstein and well 
known in St. Petersburg and Paris, where her hus- 
band spent some years as Austrian Ambassador. The 
Countess was a most original person, a devoted admirer 
of Wagner and of his music. She was passionately 
devoted to painting and art in general, was a great 
friend of Lenbach, of Madame Cosima Wagner, and 
generally of all those who represented in Germany 
and elsewhere the school of philosophy of Schopen- 
hauer and the music of the future. She did not, 
however, pose as a great scholar or a great thinker, 
though she liked to surround herself with people 
who were. Her receptions were always most 
interesting. 

i36 



Count and Countess Schleinitz 

The Countess Schleinitz was a great friend of the 
Crown Princess, who used to see her very often, and 
always defended her against the numerous attacks of 
the many people who envied her for the exceptional 
position she had made for herself, thanks to her rare 
and brilliant qualities. Her husband, the Baron, after- 
wards Count Schleinitz, had been Minister for Foreign 
Affairs in Prussia before Prince Bismarck, and had 
contrived to make an enemy of him. The Chancellor 
hated his predecessor so thoroughly that he forbade 
all officials of the Foreign Office to be present at the 
funeral of their former chief. This petty act of ven- 
geance is one of the ugliest pages in the book of Prince 
Bismarck's life. 

Count Schleinitz during the last years of his life 
held the post of Minister of the Imperial Household, 
and as such occupied a magnificent house in the 
Wilhelmstrasse which his wife had arranged with 
consummate taste. Here at one time she gave charm- 
ing balls. Later, however, she gave up official re- 
ceptions, and contented herself with seeing a few friends 
in the evening. This, however, did not prevent the 
Chancellor from accusing her of mixing in politics and 
trying to thwart him in everything that he wanted 
to do. 

Prince Bismarck was wrong in the feelings of 
aversion which he entertained in regard to Count and 
Countess Schleinitz. Neither of them ever thought 
of intriguing against him. The Countess lived in an 
artistic atmosphere, whilst her husband, who was 
already very aged, only wanted to be left alone. He 
knew that the Emperor liked him and that he was in 

137 



Memories of Forty Years 

possession of his confidence, and he did not care for 
or require anything else. 

Count Schleinitz died at an advanced age, and his 
widow married again as soon as her mourning was 
over. She left Berlin, not without regret, and after 
her second husband, Count Volkenstein, had retired 
from diplomatic life she returned to the German 
capital, where she used to receive her former acquaint- 
ances in the flat she took at an hotel, with the same 
kindness and affability she had shown in the time 
when she was occupying one of the finest houses in 
the town. She was always charming and pleasant, 
and was much regretted by her numerous friends, on 
her death a few years ago. 

One of those whom one met constantly at Countess 
Schleinitz' was Prince von Bulow ; at that time he had 
yet to achieve the fame which earned his title. He 
was then a young attache at the Foreign Office. I 
think that it was at this time that the romance began 
which was to end with the marriage of the former 
Chancellor to the very distinguished lady who now 
bears his name. Countess Schleinitz was very fond of 
Italy, and used to spend part of the year in Venice, 
where her mother, the Princess Hatzfeld, was per- 
manently established. She had met there Donna 
Laura Minghetti, and a great friendship sprung up 
between the two women — a friendship which was to 
benefit later the Countess Donhoff, now the Princess 
Biilow, who was the daughter of Donna Laura by her 
first marriage with the Prince of Camporeale. 

In addition to the houses I have just mentioned, 
Berlin society frequently met at the house of the 

138 



Richter the Artist 

Baroness Pergler von Preglas, wife of the Bavarian 
Minister. She used to receive every day. Her salon 
was the centre of all the gossip of the town, and as 
such sometimes became a source of social danger for 
those who frequented it. 

The Countess Max Oriolla, the sister-in-law of the 
Countess Louise, also gave small and most select recep- 
tions. She was by birth a Countess Arnim, and the 
daughter of the famous Bettina, made ever memor- 
able by Goethe. She was extremely clever, but was 
generally dreaded on account of her sharp tongue. 
Her parties were terribly dull, though no one dared 
to acknowledge the fact. 

I must not forget, in this recapitulation of Berlin 
hostesses, to mention Madame Cornelie Richter, the 
wife of the painter of that name and the daughter of 
the composer Meyerbeer, one of the closest friends of 
the Crown Princess, and a most distinguished woman. 
She had a sister, the Baroness d'Andriani, who used to 
visit Berlin, where she enjoyed the special friendship of 
the Emperor, who was very fond of her. 

Richter was one of the most popular artists of 
modern Germany ; some of his portraits are really 
masterpieces — such, for instance, as the one he did 
of the Queen Louise of Prussia, which is now in the 
Town Hall of Cologne, and for which sat one of the 
loveliest young girls who ever appeared in Berlin, 
the Countess von Moltke, who was afterwards to become 
the wife of the painter Lenbach. The portrait of the 
beautiful Princess Carolath, which figured at the Paris 
Exhibition of 1878, is also by Richter ; so is that of 
the pretty Countess de Villeneuve. Richter had the 

139 



Memories of Forty Years 

gift of being always able to achieve in his paintings 
an idealised conception of his models, and this was 
partly the reason why he was so popular as a portrait 
painter. 

Richter had a rival in the person of Count Ferdinand 
Harrach, a nobleman of ancient lineage and an artist 
of great talent, who painted more for pleasure than 
profit. He formed one of the small circle of friends 
which assembled in the house of the Heir to the 
Throne. He also arranged the several fancy balls that 
were given by the Crown Princess. The Countess 
Helene Pourtales, whom he married, was a very pretty 
woman, and one used to meet her frequently in society, 
but she did not give receptions herself. 

As I am talking of the artists whom I had the oppor- 
tunity of meeting in Berlin, I cannot pass by in 
silence the little Menzel, to whom one owes all the 
pictures which we see in Potsdam which represent the 
Court of the Great Frederick and that of William I. 
He was a small, eccentric man, a real dwarf in size 
and proportions. He used to go about with a busy 
air among the guests at all the balls given in the Imperial 
Palace with notebook and pencil in hand, and without 
the least ceremony, whenever he saw a face that 
pleased him, or which he thought he could make use 
of, he would make a rapid sketch, displaying no sign 
of observing the confusion of the subject. I have never 
spoken with him, but I have often found myself near 
him, and amused myself in watching him. I never 
remember having seen him anywhere but at the Imperial 
Palace. 

The Austrian painter Angeli used also to visit 

140 



Unwelcomed Criticisms 

Berlin frequently, where he was generally the guest 
of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. One owes 
to his brush the two most beautiful portraits that have 
ever been painted of the heir to the German Throne 
and of his Consort. The latter had a great sym- 
pathy for Angeli, and appreciated his conversation, 
which was original and witty. He became one of her 
personal friends, and I even think — though I cannot 
say so for certain — that he gave her a few drawing 
lessons. He was rather unconventional in his language 
and manners, and it is related that he had once allowed 
himself to make some remarks to his Imperial pupil 
concerning the manner in which she dressed, which 
he thought was not to her advantage. The Princess 
did not take the observation in good part, and for 
some time showed him considerable coolness. I 
will not assume any responsibility as to the truth 
of this anecdote, but it was talked about all over 
Berlin at the time, and even reached the ears of 
the Empress, whom it scandalised considerably, and 
who did not spare her reproaches to her daughter-in- 
law, whose attitude had allowed such a story to get 
about. 



141 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE RADZIWILL FAMILY 

AT the time of my first marriage, the Radziwill 
xTL family still held an important position at the 
Berlin Court. This was largely due to its ties of 
relationship with the Royal Family, the niece of 
Frederick the Great having been married to my hus- 
band's grandfather, Prince Anthony Radziwill. I am 
going now to relate an anecdote, I believe for the 
first time, concerning the parents of that Prussian 
Princess. 

In the year of grace 1768, Frederick II. was already 
fifty-six years of age. He had never lived with Queen 
Elisabeth Christina, whom his father had obliged him 
to marry, and his relations with her were more than 
extraordinary, because he never even consented to 
speak to her, and when he had anything to commu- 
nicate, he did so in writing. His niece, the Princess 
Louise, has related in her memoirs, published two 
or three years ago, some curious details concerning 
the relations of the King with the Queen. 

Describing a dinner at Court, she writes as follows : 
" Whilst we were all waiting for the King, in the 
Queen's study, Elisabeth herself was leaning against a 
chest of drawers, as one of her legs was causing her 
considerable pain at the time, and only allowed her to 
walk with difficulty. 

142 



A Curious Incident 

" The King came in, and stopped near the door 
to speak to Madame von Kaunenberg, the mistress of 
the robes to the Queen, asking her in a very loud 
voice for news of the latter's health, and requesting 
her to beg Her Majesty to sit down, which, however, 
the Queen did not consent to do ; then he passed 
before her, bowing profoundly as he did so. 

"After having talked with us all, the King took 
up his place next to the dining-room door, and the 
Queen, the Princesses, and all the other ladies filed 
past him in silence." 

This story will explain better than I could ever 
do the unnatural relations which existed between 
Frederick the Great and his Consort. His nephew 
and heir presumptive, the son of his younger brother, 
Prince August William, had only one daughter by 
his marriage with the Princess Elisabeth of Brunswick- 
Wolf enbiittel. Moreover, he did not live with his 
wife, and was divorced from her later. Prince Henry 
of Prussia's union with the Princess Wilhelmina of 
Hesse Cassel had been childless, and the second brother 
of Frederick II., Prince Ferdinand, who was married 
to a Princess of Brandenburg- Schwedt, had an only 
daughter born in 1761, who was a cripple, and died 
when only eleven years old. 

Frederick the Great began to be uneasy concerning 
the succession to the Prussian Throne. After several 
years, however, the Princess Ferdinand, on May 24th, 
1770, gave birth to the Princess Louise (who was to 
become the wife of Prince Anthony Radziwill), and 
later to two Princes, Frederick- Christian and Louis. 
Apart from this, the nephew of the King, having 

143 



Memories of Forty Years 

divorced the Princess of Brunswick, married a Princess 
of Hesse, by whom he had a son, the future King 
Frederick- William III. 

The succession to the Throne was consequently 
more than assured. 

When I married, the Radziwill family, though 
numerous, was anything but united, and quarrels 
were a daily occurrence. They all lived together in 
the house which was bought later on by the German 
Government for the use of the Chancellor of the 
Empire. The Empress used to visit it often in order 
to see my mother and sister-in-law. 

The family undoubtedly exercised great influence 
during the lifetime of my father-in-law, owing to the 
fact that he had been brought up together with the 
old King, who had been violently in love with his 
sister, the Princess Eliza Radziwill. The King never 
ceased to love her, and though he was obliged to sacri- 
fice his love for reasons of State, he always kept the 
Princess's portrait on his writing-table. 

When my father-in-law died, his eldest son, Anthony, 
was already attached to the person of the Sovereign 
as an aide-de-camp. William I. was very fond of him. 
I have never been able to understand why, because 
it is probable that if Prince Anthony had not been 
married to an exceedingly clever woman he would 
never have done anything. Mile, de Castellane, with 
whom he had associated his fate, was one of those rare 
women who command general respect and admiration. 
She was remarkable not only because of her intelligence, 
her wit, and her kindliness, but also by reason of her 
perfect tact and strength of character. Her life was 

144 



Prince Ferdinand Radziwill 

not happy, and she must often have experienced the 
sensation of feeling choked in the heavy atmosphere 
of the Radziwill household. She never showed it in 
public, however, and went her way always serene and 
courageous amidst the difficulties and disappointments 
which abounded in her life. If ever a woman lived 
who was worthy of the respect of friend and foe alike, 
it is my sister-in-law ; and if ever these lines should 
fall under her eyes, I hope that she will see in them 
a proof of the gratitude which I feel for the many 
kindnesses with which she has loaded me in the past. 

So long as old Prince Radziwill was alive my sister- 
in-law could not have a household of her own, and 
even after his death my mother-in-law insisted on 
managing affairs. But when she died Princess Mary 
Radziwill opened her house to her numerous friends, 
and it is to this day a centre, unique in Berlin society. 

As I have already related, there was a time when 
the Radziwill family exercised a certain political influ- 
ence. In speaking about it, I have in view the part 
played by the cousins of my husband, Prince Ferdinand, 
as well as by his brother, who was at one time a deputy 
in the Reichstag. Prince Ferdinand is a devout 
Catholic, with a fierce Polish patriotism, and is always 
considered as the head of the Polish party at the 
Berlin Court. It is undoubtedly true that whilst the 
Kulturkampf lasted, he and his wife took part in 
numerous intrigues against the Government. He sin- 
cerely imagined that the status enjoyed by his family 
was still as strong as it had been in his father's life- 
time, and that the Radziwills could, thanks to their 
personal influence over the Sovereign, check the designs 

k 145 



Memories of Forty Years 

of the Chancellor. No one ever made a greater mis- 
take. It was very easy for Bismarck to get rid of his 
feeble adversaries, and with the help of time and 
perseverance, the Chancellor succeeded in destroying 
the influence of the Radziwill family. 

My sister-in-law is the only one who continues to 
live in Berlin. She is one of the last of the old-time 
great ladies left in the capital of the Empire. A con- 
siderable number of people go and see her through 
sheer curiosity, so entirely does she represent a period 
of German history. She remembers still the kingdom 
of Prussia as it was, a period few care to remind them- 
selves of to-day. She knew the present Emperor as a 
child, and has lived in the intimacy of people who have 
become already historical figures. And what must to 
her seem sadder still, she has witnessed the fall of her 
own family. I imagine that often in the silence of 
her room she has wept over the ruin of so many things 
in the greatness of which she has probably believed, 
and which have crumbled into dust before her eyes. 



146 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE INTELLECTUAL WORLD OF BERLIN 

A FTER all that I have said, the reader may think 
JjL that it was impossible to find in Berlin people 
with intellectual tastes. Such an opinion would be 
quite false. I believe it would be very difficult to find 
anywhere else such an abundance of learned men and 
eminent writers as in Germany at the time of which 
I am writing ; but they formed a circle quite distinct 
from the so-called smart set. 

It was only at the Crown Prince and Crown Prin- 
cess's house that one could have the opportunity of 
meeting men like the historian Ranke, the chemist 
Helmholtz, and all the other professors of the Berlin 
University. In general, these learned men only mixed 
with each other, and never came out of their own 
set, into which it was most difficult to obtain an 
introduction. I succeeded in doing so through my 
doctor, Professor Gusserow, who was married to a 
Miss Oppenheim of Cologne, related to the Mendelssohn- 
Bartholdys. She introduced me in her own circle, 
and I was thus able to frequent that exclusive 
world of the University. I have spent evenings — 
which I shall never forget — with Professor Dubois 
Raymond ; Leyden the physician ; Gregorovius the 
historian, during one of his rare visits to Berlin ; Helm- 

147 



Memories of Forty Years 

holtz and his charming wife, the niece of old Madame 
Mohl, whose house was at one time celebrated in 
Paris. Mrs. Helmholtz had also relations in the 
fashionable set where she was seen now and then, but 
the others whom I have just mentioned never showed 
themselves in it. These evenings will always remain 
in my remembrance like an oasis in that desert which 
Berlin — or at least that portion of Berlin society 
into which Fate had thrown me — represented ; and from 
the distinguished men and women whom I met, I 
learned many things which have helped me in life. 

The old historian Ranke was, above all other German 
celebrities, the one with whom I entertained the most 
cordial relations. This illustrious thinker distinguished 
himself by an impartiality in his judgments such as 
I have never met with in anyone. He was en- 
tirely devoid of any prejudice or sympathy. He used 
to pretend that every political crime was accompanied 
by extenuating circumstances that took away some 
part of its horror. The misfortunes of Marie An- 
toinette, the tragedy of Mary Stuart, left him quite 
indifferent ; he accused both the French Convention 
and Queen Elizabeth of cruelty, but, he added, when 
doing so, that if one tried to take into account the 
situation in which each was placed, good reasons 
were discovered to explain the apparent barbarity 
displayed by the one as well as by the other. He 
habitually avoided final judgments on anything. This 
caution proceeded not from a feeling of indulgence, 
but out of a spirit of impartiality which often jarred 
on the nerves of those before whom he displayed it. 
Ranke lacked a sympathetic personality, but he had 

148 



Death of Ranke 

a strong faith in God, in spite of the absolute indiffer- 
ence which he professed in all religious matters. 

When he found himself near his last hours, not 
suffering from any disease but crushed under the weight 
of his years — he was over ninety-five — he asked the 
people who surrounded his death-bed to read to him 
the Psalms of David, especially the fourth. When the 
reader reached the verse " I will both lay me down 
in peace, and sleep," the head of the illustrious thinker 
bent down, he softly sighed, and his soul peacefully 
passed away. 

Helmholtz, the chemist, had, to a far greater degree 
than Ranke, the manners of a man of the world. The 
historian lived entirely absorbed by his thoughts. The 
man of science seemed, on the contrary, to have deter- 
mined that, once outside his laboratory, he would 
never remember the great work to which he owed 
his reputation. He liked to talk about literature, and 
interest himself in politics. When he received friends 
in his house he showed himself a perfect host, and 
looked after his guests as if he had nothing else to do 
in the world. Mrs. Helmholtz used to second him 
most graciously, and all those who had been fortunate 
enough to be admitted to their home were enchanted 
with the kind welcome they received. 

The couple had an only daughter, who was married 
later to the son of the famous Siemens, the learned 
electrician, and I have been told that she has become 
one of the smartest women in Berlin, where happily 
at the present day but little distance separates the 
different classes of society. 

At the period I am writing about, however, these 

149 



Memories of Forty Years 

distances were rigorously observed, and in that respect 
the higher classes were far more exclusive than even 
the Court itself. For instance, though old Baron von 
Bleichroder and his wife were invited to every ball 
that was given at the Royal Castle, many people 
refused to visit them. 

This famous Baron was a type and a social power 
in a way, thanks to his relations with Prince Bismarck, 
whose confidant he was in many matters, and who 
protected him constantly. One could meet him every 
day, walking in the Thiergarten in company with his 
wife, and after her death, when he became almost 
entirely blind, he would take his walks leaning on the 
arm of a secretary. 

Many people feared him, but others whom he helped 
out of financial troubles had occasion to be grateful 
to him in his capacity as a banker. Latterly he almost 
entirely dissociated himself from his vast business, 
and abandoned its direction to his partner, Schwabach. 
Madame Schwabach was a very pretty woman, and 
her receptions were frequented by all the diplomats 
at the Berlin Court, as well as by a certain smart 
set, who did not mind being disapproved by the stern 
dowagers who wished to keep up the barrier that 
formerly divided Jewish society from other circles 
admitted at Court. 

There was also another banker in Berlin into whose 
house were welcomed all who cared to enter. It 
was the house of Baron von Hansemann, the head of 
the Disconto Gesellschaft, one of the most important 
banks in the Empire, and one could meet there people 
belonging to the special J world of the University, as 

150 



My Happiest Moments 

well as political men and the representatives of different 
classes of society. The Baron, who was enormously 
rich, liked to give receptions and dinners where the 
elegance of the service rivalled the excellence of the 
fare and wines. 

I can say now what I would never have dared to 
own whilst I was living in Berlin, that it was in the 
financial and the University circles that I used to 
spend the happiest moments of my life ; I shall never 
forget how kindly I was received in them, nor cease 
to be grateful for the welcome which they extended 
to me. 



151 



CHAPTER XV 

PRINCE VON BISMARCK 

FROM the time of my introduction to Princess Bis- 
marck and her splendid husband, " The Iron 
Chancellor," until my sojourn in Berlin came to an 
end, I always maintained a cordial friendship with 
both. 

This, in a way, was remarkable, because I was 
the only member of the Radziwill family admitted 
within the circle of their regard. I visited them fre- 
quently, and for both had the greatest respect, while, 
on the other hand, Bismarck and his wife were most 
gracious at all times. 

When I say that such happy relations were rather 
remarkable, my mind goes back to an incident which 
shows how severe the Chancellor could be when 
he felt cause for grievance. In passing, it is a 
sincere tribute to the strength of his personality that, 
although the action which I am about to relate was 
directed against a member of my own family, he never 
allowed it to interfere with his friendliness towards 
myself. 

In the summer months of 1874 my brother-in-law 
was at Ems with the Emperor. At this time, it should 
be mentioned, the great struggle between the Roman 
Church and Bismarck was at its height, and my 

152 



Bismarck and the Radziwills 

husband's family, being of the Catholic persuasion, 
took an exceedingly active part in the Kulturkampf, 
as the movement was called, which aimed at a wider 
recognition of the claims of Rome. Indeed, the 
Radziwills were considered to be at the head of the 
Catholic party in Prussia, and so were constantly 
associated with other leaders in activities directly 
in opposition to the Chancellor. Precisely the extent 
to which my people went, and how far they happened 
to be mixed up in the intrigues which networked 
political life in those eventful years, I cannot say. 

But Prince von Bismarck chose to consider that 
their efforts were significant. My feeling is that he 
attached more importance to what my people did 
in opposition to his plans than was really warranted. 
Still, it was evident that they were a prolific source 
of irritation to him, and everything that could possibly 
be conceived for the purpose of annoying him was 
resorted to. However harmless in political effect such 
tactics may be, one can understand that a continu- 
ance of unceasing irritations has a maddening effect, 
and where an opportunity presented itself to retaliate, 
even though little practical result was expected, the 
chance was taken, because of the annoyance and 
chagrin it would cause. 

My knowledge of the Chancellor's character has 
led me into some byway of explanation to bring 
before the reader an eye-picture of the situation at 
that time when the police raided the Radziwill palace. 
Our position as a family was far too secure with the 
Emperor — if I may say so without egotism — for anyone 
to assail our loyalty unless backed with positive demon- 

153 



Memories of Forty Years 

stration that we were guilty of intrigue. This being so, 
it was difficult for Bismarck openly to attack, for, 
naturally, it was next to impossible for him to obtain 
proofs of anything in this way. 

In the June of the year I have mentioned some 
half-dozen of us were in the immense old house. The 
dinner-gong had gone, and we were descending the 
ancient staircase to the dining-room, when suddenly, 
to our surprise and amazement, we were confronted 
by the police. We could not conjecture the reason 
of so unwarrantable an intrusion, and demanded to 
be told the reason for this domiciliary visit. The police 
explained to my husband's cousins, who had remon- 
strated warmly, that they had been ordered to take 
possession and to search the room which my brother- 
in-law's secretary used for his work. The secretary, 
von Kehler, who, by the way, had formerly been a 
clerk in the Foreign Office, was a convert to the Roman 
Catholic faith, and as so often is the case with converts 
from Protestantism, his zeal for his new belief knew 
no bounds. His fanaticism, however, did not prevent 
him from being a most congenial companion and a really 
amiable man. He was an influential member of the 
Reichstag, and he always commanded the respect of 
our family. 

Doubtless, under the pretence of searching through 
von Kehler' s desk, the police had the expectation of 
discovering some incriminating document belonging to 
my brother-in-law or my cousin. 

Whether they did so or not I was never able to 
discover, but in my own mind I have always felt that 
the precautions taken were too many to leave any 

154 



Bismarck's Raid 

likelihood of discoveries which would involve either 
the family or the party. 

In reality this raid was entirely unwarranted, 
but it vividly expresses the methods of the man and 
the manner in which he could command others to 
carry out his wishes, that Bismarck should not have 
hesitated to put his plans into execution. Truly 
Bismarckian this; ruthless and regardless of law so 
long as its ends were achieved. 

At the time Bismarck perpetrated this act of high- 
handed invasion I had only known him a short while. It 
was less than a year after my marriage, and some six 
months only after the introduction to which I have 
referred, and which took place on New Year's night at 
the reception given by the Empress Augusta to the 
princely families residing in Berlin. This was some 
years before Bismarck retired to the privacy and 
quietness of his homes at Varzin and Friedrichsruhe. 
I remember so well being impressed by his fine com- 
manding figure, the stalwartness of his pose, the in- 
domitable power which was expressed in his every 
glance. Yet there seemed to lurk beneath that iron 
exterior an inner kindliness that could be noticed 
momentarily to reside in his eyes when some homely 
incident or simple thought banished the habitual stern- 
ness from his face. To the observant this revealed the 
real man, and yet, such was his patriotism and am- 
bition for his country — the country he saw consolidated 
into a power by his own efforts — that this homely 
nature and kindliness were kept subservient to the 
great purpose of his life. 

As the years went on I found my first impression 

155 



Memories of Forty Years 

but confirmed ; indeed, among the dominating per- 
sonalities in those years of evolution which saw the 
German Empire emerge, consolidated and eager, from 
the conflicting interests of many small States, none 
impressed itself on my memory with greater vividness 
than that of Bismarck. 

It is not infrequently a characteristic of powerful 
minds that they cannot follow the curious methods of 
reasoning by which stupid people come to wrong con- 
clusions. Bismarck was no exception. Where he should 
have been amused at the petty efforts of petty politicians 
and intriguers of no great mental power, because of 
their lack of understanding the real causes of great 
events in the national evolution, he allowed their 
want of foresight to irritate him, and, what was still 
more regrettable, gave them the joy of knowing that 
fact. This caused various of these plotters to con- 
ceive that because they had this power they were 
of importance in the making of history. Bismarck 
would have done better for his own peace of mind to 
have left one and all severely alone and continued his 
great work in the knowledge that at least his royal 
master, William I., and himself, rightly understood 
those great events which brought the diadem of Bar- 
barossa into the possession of the Hohenzollern 
dynasty. 

The general public imagined that nothing had 
been changed ; they failed to realise that after the 
triumphs of Sadowa and Sedan neither the Emperor 
nor his ministers could proceed upon the same lines 
as before. No longer were they the heads of a mid- 
European State ; their territory was now of wider 

156 



Visions of Empire 

significance ; their eyes were lifted toward the hills, 
and in the consummation of 1871 they saw the be- 
ginnings of an Empire which should be wide-spreading 
in territory, far-reaching in power, and knit together 
by a love for the Fatherland which should make the 
German Empire supreme in the councils of Europe. 

Instead of this being used to the restricted activi- 
ties of the small Prussian Court, some thought, when 
Bismarck rose as the dominating influence, that it 
would be easy to remove him by an intrigue for the 
purpose of undermining the Emperor's confidence 
in him. In the religious question involved in the 
Kulturkampf the Empress Augusta was emphatic and 
decided in her opposition. She sincerely believed, 
and continually prophesied, that continuance in the 
policy adopted would bring the State to ruin. 
Because this certainty prepossessed her mind, the 
Empress would not desist from exerting her personal 
influence to compel William to stop Bismarck's pro- 
paganda. In season and out of season she strenuously 
forced the idea upon the Emperor, until in exaspera- 
tion he put his foot down, and in this and other direc- 
tions stopped the efforts of " politicians in petticoats " 
to bend history to their opinions or ambitions. 

Bismarck was not blind to all this intrigue ; he 
knew, too, the effect it had on the religious question, 
which would not have acquired such strength had 
not the erroneous conclusion been arrived at that 
friends in high circles and partisans in the Reichstag 
held the key to the situation. In this the interested 
parties again showed a lack of comprehension of the 
fact that Prussia could no longer be classed as a little 

157 



Memories of Forty Years 

State, content to jog along as other of the small 
German States. 

The agile intelligence of Bismarck had readily 
grasped the change that events of a few years before 
had wrought in the prospects and destiny of Prussia. 
William I., too, had a similar vision of the glorious 
future, and it was this realisation which they held 
in common, but which so few others had shared, 
that brought them so close to each other. It was 
almost affecting to discern the respect in which the 
Emperor and his Chancellor held each other. And 
amid the vindictive and unbending policy Bismarck 
adopted to his enemies, it was touching in the 
extreme to observe the reverence he expressed in 
his bearing towards William I. When he looked at 
his Sovereign it seemed as if he were pouring out a 
sincere and soulful affection, and when importunate 
personages thrust unwelcome requests before the aged 
monarch, there was something almost maternal in 
the efforts the stern and impassive Chancellor would 
make to rid his Emperor of undesired attentions. 

The history of the Kulturkampf is inseparable from 
the biography of Bismarck. The whole force of his 
magnificent intellect, the relentless use of his far- 
reaching power, the weight of his enormous influence, 
were exerted to crush it. Yet it was not, perhaps, the 
atrocious thing that the Chancellor believed it to be. 
He arrived early at the conclusion that it was a move- 
ment inimical to the progress of the new German 
Empire, and so he set out to crush it. On the other 
hand, sincere Catholics, every whit as loyal to the 
Empire as Bismarck, upheld and worked for the Kul- 

158 




O 

o 

> 

o 
u 




o 



The Real Bismarck 

turkampf as entirely for good. They looked on the 
movement as intended to secure acceptable education 
for Catholics within the dominions of the German 
Empire should the struggle eventuate in favour of 
the adherents of Rome. Bismarck fought for State 
control of religious education ; the Catholics to conserve 
the right to follow the dictates of their faith. That, in 
brief, was the motif of the long and bitter struggle 
that not only shook Germany from end to end as a 
reed, but was looked upon with no little apprehension 
and wonder as to its ultimate issue by the leading 
statesmen of Europe. 

Bismarck was always a good fighter, an enemy 
who compelled respect for the ceaseless energy with 
which he beat down every barrier, and the undaunted 
manner in which he fought for what he believed was 
best for his loved Empire. Seeing him in those mo- 
ments of fierce battle, it was difficult to believe the 
stories one heard of the tender and sweet simplicity 
of his home life. Yet it was unreservedly true. At 
those times when he was able to throw aside for a 
brief season the anxieties and harassments of State 
affairs, he would retire to his home and there lead 
the happiest life it is possible to imagine. He was 
absolutely charming, and his wife was to him the 
best of mortals. They never allowed outside affairs 
to disturb the sweetness and harmony of their affection 
for each other. On religious questions they were 
poles apart, but even here — the stumbling-block in 
so many cases — they were quite in harmony in agree- 
ing to differ. There is no doubt that the Princess's 
homely characteristics contributed not a little to 

159 



Memories of Forty Years 

this perfection of harmony, for had she been a brilliant 
and dashing woman of the world the peaceful atmo- 
sphere of the home life would not have been so marked. 
It was all for the best that this home-loving woman 
could preserve for her Prince such a haven of restful 
quietude, where he could find grateful ease from the 
tension and nerve-wrack of his tempestuous public 
life. 

Added to this quality, the Princess, after her own 
fashion, presented a striking and unusual personality 
by reason of the strong intelligence and common 
sense which she brought to bear upon her mode of 
life, upon various things which interested her, or 
in the expression of her opinions. These are very 
useful qualities to find in the wife of a statesman, 
and because of these endowments it was always a 
sincere pleasure to me to meet and talk with the Princess. 

There was never any doubt of her entire love 
for her husband. Her devotion, too, was sweet and 
unswerving. To her he was always the husband 
before he was the Chancellor. But at the same time 
she unsparingly sacrificed her claims on his time in 
order that he might the better serve the State. This 
trait in her character was, to my mind, the more 
commendable because, despite her perception, she was 
unable to enter into the magnitude of his achieve- 
ments so far as they affected the future of Germany. 
She knew he was a great man, and rejoiced exceedingly, 
with happy pride, in his outstanding genius and the 
splendour of his diplomatic successes, but the vast 
debt which generations unborn would owe to the 
Chancellor did not impress her soul. The greatness 

160 



Bismarck's Home Life 

of her love was far more real to her than any love of 
greatness, and the things of moment which were daily 
achieved by Bismarck were only of interest to her 
because her husband had accomplished them. In her 
the wife was paramount, and her greatest content was 
to watch over Bismarck with all the tenderness and 
solicitude that a great love can outpour. In her 
eyes he was the acme of perfection. She lived for 
him alone, and in every moment of his life it was her 
sole object to surround him with care and comfort, 
to assure his material well-being, to provide for him a 
never-failing solace when the cares of State became 
well-nigh unbearable. 

Princess Bismarck made no secret of her affection; 
but it was more in her attitude towards everything 
which concerned Bismarck than in the active ex- 
pressions of her lips that all Berlin knew of her devo- 
tion. Everyone, therefore, held her in sincere and 
lasting regard. Even among the most fashionable 
of society dames it would have been considered a 
faux pas to criticise the simplicity of her manner or 
her curious ideas on what constituted becoming attire. 
Her dresses really were most extraordinary at times, 
but never by any chance were they referred to in 
that malicious spirit in which such things are wont 
to be spoken of by those devotees of fashion who 
affect to criticise anything and everything that they 
see around them. 

There is one other characteristic which I should 
like to refer to, and that is her prejudices. In common 
with so many Germans who have not been freed from 
the merely national outlook she had a very lively 

l 161 



Memories of Forty Years 

hatred of the French. This at times had its reflex 
action upon Bismarck, and made his work more diffi- 
cult, because his enemies would maintain that she 
imbibed her narrow-minded view from him. Bismarck, 
however, thoroughly understood her ; he knew that 
this added difficulty he had occasionally to contend 
with was a limitation, and he was far too fond of her 
ever to give her pain by letting her know the thorns 
she unconsciously strewed upon his path. A more 
devoted husband or father it would be difficult to 
picture ; his essentially affectionate nature made 
home life exceedingly congenial to him, and one can 
imagine the delight with which he snatched the all 
too brief opportunities of enjoying the sacred felicity 
of his fireside. 

He was never too busy to take an interest in the 
affairs of his relatives, and the suffering of any one 
of them would cause him sincere concern. 

Those who have been favoured with a knowledge 
of the correspondence between Bismarck and his wife 
will understand the charming sincerity of his domestic 
relations. It was no parade ; he knew and appreciated 
with the whole depth of his nature the superior joys 
of a fireside life ; he knew the rest that always awaited 
him in the bosom of his family. It will be no revela- 
tion to say that a man with such a nature must always 
prove a good friend, deeming nothing too irksome in 
the cause of friendship. 

As time went on it must be admitted that his 
temperament suffered both through flattery and an- 
tagonism. He hated adulation and empty praise, and 
he grew in course of time unnecessarily impatient and 

i62 



An Ardent Imperialist 

suspicious of commendation. He was sometimes unjust, 
too, to his opponents. His whole heart was centred 
in the progress and consolidation of the Empire. That 
was the object of his every move, and when those 
who differed from him in opinion did not realise that 
his almost brutal decisions were in reality far-seeing 
acts of brilliant diplomacy, he conceived that a per- 
sonal antagonism actuated their opposition. In this 
he was often mistaken. When he discovered his error 
he was always generous, but his very sincerity of pur- 
pose sometimes obscured his judgment. 

How much more could not one say of Bismarck ? 
He was truly a man — the great man of his time. He 
was essential in the making of the Empire, but he was 
no ruthless despot. Rather should he go down in his- 
tory as a kindly-hearted, fireside-loving man thrust by 
the exigencies of life into a position where the brilliant 
genius of his constructive power, the magnificent 
wideness of his imperial ideas, his wonderful know- 
ledge of human nature, were forced out in the service 
of his country to make of him a patriot and a builder 
of Empire, the like of whom Europe has never seen. 



163 



CHAPTER XVI 

COUNT VON MOLTKE AND A FEW MILITARY MEN 

COUNT VON MOLTKE had been chief of Staff 
to my father-in-law at the time the latter was 
in command of an Army Corps at Magdeburg, and 
since that time he had always been on terms of great 
friendship with the whole Radziwill family. I was 
introduced to him almost immediately after my mar- 
riage, and he was extremely kind to me. It seems 
that I was like his wife, an Englishwoman who 
had died quite young, and whom he had passionately 
loved. 

The Field-Marshal was a tall and lean old man, 
whose head was quite bald, and who used to wear a 
wig — which could not possibly be taken for any- 
thing else — mainly in order to prevent himself from 
catching cold. Moltke himself was the driest man I 
ever met in my life. His thoughts resembled a mathe- 
matical problem. He has been called in France " le 
grand silencieux," and in a certain sense he deserved 
the appellation. But he was something more than 
that ; he was a great thinker, inexorable in his decisions, 
never giving his attention to anything else save what 
he considered to be his duty. 

I do not think that he ever felt an emotion of any 
kind in his life, except the affection which he bore 

164 



William I. and von Moltke 

his wife. He remained entirely unmoved on the day 
when, before the walls of Sedan, he discussed the con- 
ditions under which the French army had to capitu- 
late. Certainly he rejoiced at the result, though only 
as at the solution of a problem at which he had 
worked for a long time. He exhibited not an atom of 
pride at the great deeds performed by the army which 
he commanded. To him the army was but a machine, 
and as such he had used it. 

I do not know whether he was a great patriot, 
but I am certain that he was a man desirous of the 
triumph of his country over its foes, and who had 
worked untiringly to prepare and to assure that 
triumph. When its hour struck at last, it left him 
unmoved, because he could not feel any anxiety as 
to the issue of a struggle for which he knew that, 
thanks to him, Prussia was entirely and admirably 
prepared. He directed the army which he commanded 
with an impassivity of which few mortals would have 
been capable ; and when, after the capitulation of 
Paris, William I. thanked him in grateful words for 
the part which he had had in the triumph of his 
armies, the Field-Marshal replied in a dry tone that 
" things could not have been otherwise, and that it 
was not he whom one had to thank, but all those 
who had obeyed the orders which he had given them." 

In that phrase, which was perhaps the longest he 
ever uttered, he explained many things. Moltke was 
not one of those generals who inspire enthusiasm in 
their soldiers. He was not popular among his troops, 
but they respected him. They knew him to be always 
just, though inexorable whenever military discipline 

165 



Memories of Forty Years 

was infringed, and they knew, too, that whilst under 
his orders they could not be defeated. It was mainly 
to this feeling, more than to anything else, that the 
Prussian army owed its incomparable triumphs. 
The Field-Marshal, though fond of the science of 
war, did not care for war itself. He knew that in 
those struggles which decide the fate of nations vic- 
tory is sometimes harder to bear than defeat. 

He was accused of wishing to attack France for a 
second time, but I do not think that the accusation 
was justified. He had far too much experience of 
war ; and I am not sure whether the old warrior, in 
spite of his stiffness and of his sternness, was not, 
after all, more conscientious than Bismarck the diplo- 
mat, for whom no means were too bad for the achieve- 
ment of his plans. 

Still, despite his lack of emotionalism, Moltke was 
a man of violent likes and dislikes. One evening — it 
was the day after the death of Gambetta — I was dining 
with some friends in Berlin, and found myself placed 
next to Field-Marshal von Moltke at table. The con- 
versation turned naturally to the event that had just 
taken place in France, and I asked him what he had 
thought when he heard of the death of the great 
orator. " I was extremely glad," he replied ; " just as 
glad as I was when I heard about the death of Skobeleff." 

I shall never forget the confusion of Moltke when 
I told him that the Russian general was a relative 
of mine. 

The Field-Marshal was, before everything, a soldier, 
and diplomacy was an art that always remained un- 
known to him. On the other hand, his brother in arms 

166 



Marshal von Manteuffel 

and rival — at least in honours and dignities — Marshal 
von Manteuffel, was essentially a diplomat, in spite 
of the military successes with which every step of 
his career was accompanied. 

Baron von Manteuffel was the only man in Prussia 
who dared resist Prince Bismarck, and with whom 
the latter felt himself compelled to reckon. He re- 
mained for a few years in charge of the administration 
of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, and he showed 
considerable tact in the fulfilment of a difficult duty. 
He was a cultured man, and possessed the rare gift of 
being able to look at things and at events through 
the eyes of others. His impartiality and sense of 
justice were quite extraordinary. When he was ap- 
pointed governor of the conquered provinces, he was 
given almost unlimited powers, but used them only in 
a spirit of conciliation and moderation. He shut his 
eyes to all that he thought it was not necessary for 
him to see, and had a perfect understanding of the 
feelings of bitterness natural to those over whom 
he ruled. Though a fervent admirer of Prince Bis- 
marck, he never sympathised with his methods, nor 
with the means which he used in order to attain his 
ends. 

Marshal von Manteuffel would have been a great 
strength to any political party with which he had cared 
to ally himself, but one of his great qualities consisted 
in his constant refusal to lend his name to any political 
faction or party. He contented himself all his life 
with doing his duty as a soldier. 



167 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE REICHSTAG AND ITS DIFFERENT PARTIES 

IT was during the course of the year 1873 that the 
different German political parties began to assume 
the form which they have preserved more or less to 
the present day. 

It was also about this time that an opposition, 
serious enough to embarrass Prince Bismarck, was 
organised against him. Bismarck, when he began his 
struggle against the Catholic clergy, imagined that it 
would win him the sympathies of the parliamentary 
faction which went by the name of " National Liberals." 
I think he made a mistake in that respect. The 
National Liberals, under the leadership of their head, 
Eugen Richter, found on the contrary a pretext to 
attack him in that struggle, and though he succeeded 
in winning them over to his side at the time when 
the famous Falk laws were presented to the Chambers, 
it is also certain that they did not become his friends. 

Richter was a very clever man, and fully able to 
hold his own against the Chancellor. He was, more- 
over, a calmer man than the Chancellor, and did not 
bring personal animosities to bear against those whom 
he had occasion to attack. This gave the more weight 
to his acrid criticisms. His party was numerous, per- 
fectly disciplined, and possessed many sympathies in 

168 



The National Liberals 

the country. Unfortunately, it too often made the 
mistake of being opportunist, and had procured the 
contempt of Prince Bismarck, whereby it lost the con- 
fidence of a number of its adherents. Nevertheless, it 
was considered as one of the most important parties 
in the Reichstag, and generally decided the fate of 
the bills under discussion. 

Bismarck, though he detested Richter, nevertheless 
frequently made use of his influence, and often made 
concessions to him which other people would never 
have obtained. The Chancellor was quite aware that 
in every matter which involved the progress or the 
welfare of Germany, the patriotic feelings of the 
National Liberal party would lead them to support 
the Government. It was principally for this reason 
that Bismarck succeeded in keeping the majority 
which he wanted, and which he contrived to gather 
together through the coalition of the Conservatives 
with the followers of the man he most detested, Eugen 
Richter. 

The latter, for his part, knew perfectly well how to 
profit by the exigencies of the situation, and succeeded 
in his turn in obtaining the help of the Government 
in a good many questions he had at heart. The 
National Liberals always set conditions to their acquies- 
cence in any governmental measure. The Conserva- 
tives, on the other hand, followed blindly any instruc- 
tions which the Wilhelmstrasse chose to give them. 

This group was mostly composed of large land- 
owners and of members of the highest aristocracy of 
the country. The Princes of Hat zf eld de Trachen- 
berg, Carolath-Beuthen, Pless, and Hohenlohe, the 

169 



Memories of Forty Years 

Dukes of Ratibor and Ujest, the Counts of Hochberg 
and Henckel, who all had seats in the Prussian 
Upper House, were also deputies in the Reichstag of 
the Empire ; they largely constituted the majority 
upon which the Government could always rely, and 
which it knew very well would remain loyal. It was 
a party that was submissive to the rulers of the 
country, but not disciplined. It sedulously sought its 
own interests and its own advantages, and they were 
pecuniary. The Chancellor, therefore, though he was 
certain that it would always support him and his 
policy, had neither confidence nor esteem for it, and 
treated it without the least consideration or respect. 

The Centre or Catholic party constituted the only 
serious adversary in the path of Bismarck, and he 
never ceased to struggle against it. That party had 
one immense advantage : it possessed for leaders men 
of the highest merit, eloquent orators, and most able 
politicians. Dr. Mallinckrodt, who was at its head 
for a long time, was a brilliant speaker, perhaps the 
only man in the whole Centre party who clearly under- 
stood and properly appreciated the new political 
system which was inaugurated when the new German 
Empire was proclaimed at Versailles. His convictions 
were always sincere, and not like those of Dr. Wind- 
horst, for instance, subordinated to dynastic considera- 
tions or to personal sympathies. 

Unfortunately, Mallinckrodt died at a relatively 
early age, at the very moment when his political influ- 
ence was at its height, and when his reputation for 
moderation began to be known everywhere, and to be 
appreciated even by his political enemies. After death 

170 



Dr. Windhorst and Bismarck 

had removed him from the political arena there re- 
mained no one capable of taking the place which he 
had filled so worthily except Dr. Windhorst, the 
former Minister of the late King George of Hanover. 
Windhorst, however, had the disadvantage of mixing 
his Guelph sympathies in all the questions which he 
was obliged to discuss. His ambition was colossal, and 
his secret desire was to obtain the portfolio of a Prussian 
Minister, notwithstanding his Hanoverian associations. 
He was a marvellous political tactician and an un- 
rivalled orator. He transformed the Centre into a 
disciplined force, drilled it into absolute obedience, 
and never allowed the personal hesitations or scruples 
of his followers to interfere with his plans. 

It is likely that if he had been in the place of Prince 
Bismarck he would have shown himself far more 
authoritative than the Chancellor himself, because 
this small man had attacks of impatience which were 
almost humorous. He never allowed any of his de- 
cisions to be discussed ; he never admitted that one 
of his partisans could vote otherwise than he had 
ordered him to do. I have more than once witnessed 
his rage when some undisciplined member of his party 
dared to utter an opinion different from the one which 
he had professed. He was most amusing to watch at 
such moments ; he threw up his small hands, brushed 
aside his solitary lock of hair, and gave unrestrained 
sway to his rage. 

I remember once having witnessed in the corridors 
of the Reichstag a discussion between Windhorst and 
a Socialist deputy. The latter was uneasy about 
rumours which were circulating at the time of a 

171 



Memories of Forty Years 

reconciliation between the Roman Curia and the Ger- 
man Government, and he was asking the leader of 
the Centre whether, in case this reconciliation took 
place, the Socialists could still reckon on the support 
which the Catholics had up to then given them. " You 
would probably be on the side of the Government 
against us," he added sadly. " I ? " retorted Wind- 
horst. " Why do you wish me to support a Govern- 
ment of which I am not a member ? " 

At this time the Reichstag possessed no disinter- 
ested or honest leaders, and, with few exceptions, no 
members capable of appreciating the importance of 
their position. The Chancellor despised the Assembly, 
and he was right to do so. Nevertheless, it is regret- 
table that Bismarck allowed these men, who were 
dwarfs in comparison with himself, to annoy him, and 
still more that he did not hide it from them. He would 
have saved himself much trouble had he only been able 
to control his temper and to avoid unnecessary quarrels 
which were harmful to his dignity as well as to that 
of the Reichstag. 

At the time when the Chancellor inaugurated the 
anti-Russian policy which he followed for awhile, and 
wanted to expel all foreign subjects living within 3 
certain distance from the frontier, he took steps which 
excited an immense amount of indignation. The 
measure was eagerly seized upon by Dr. Windhorst 
and his party in order to bring about a motion of 
censure in the Reichstag against the Chancellor, and 
to challenge the legality of his conduct. Public opinion, 
of course, sided against the Minister, and the day upon 
which the measure was to be discussed was eagerly 

172 



A Thunderbolt from the Emperor 

awaited. It was known that several members of the 
Bundesrath or Federal Council were strongly opposed 
to the application of the Imperial ordinance with 
which the unpopular measure had been heralded. The 
debate, which was expected would follow upon the 
proposal of Dr. Windhorst to remonstrate with the 
Government as to the illegality of the proceedings 
taken, was looked forward to with lively interest, and 
on the day when it took place I do not believe there 
was even standing room in any of the galleries of the 
Reichstag. I arrived early, so as to get a good seat 
in the diplomatic box, where I generally went to listen 
to the debates. 

We had not to wait very long before Prince Bis- 
marck, followed by all the members of the Bundesrath, 
entered the House. He walked to the tribune, and 
waited until the first deputy whose name was down 
on the list of speakers advanced towards it. Then, 
quietly brushing him aside with a gesture of his left 
hand, he ascended himself, and slowly taking a paper 
out of his pocket and turning his bulky figure so 
that one could see he was addressing himself to the 
President more than to the deputies, over whose 
heads he looked with absolute disdain : "I have a 
gracious message from His Majesty to communicate 
to the House," he said. He then proceeded to read 
its contents. These were brief enough, and simply 
stated that the Emperor, having been apprised of the 
intention of the Reichstag to discuss certain meas- 
ures he had taken in his quality of King of Prussia, 
saw fit to remind the House that, as King of Prussia, 
he was an independent Sovereign, responsible for his 

173 



Memories of Forty Years 

actions only before the Prussian Houses of Legislature, 
and that the Reichstag of the Empire had no right 
to challenge them. 

A dead silence was their reply to this communica- 
tion, and it would be next to impossible to describe 
the consternation that fell upon the assembled House. 
Prince Bismarck folded the paper slowly and walked 
down the steps of the tribune. Midway he stopped, 
and addressed himself once more to the President : 
" I suppose the House will thank His Majesty for 
his gracious communication to it," he said, and the 
most ironical of smiles flitted over his usually impas- 
sive face. Then, without turning round to look at 
the unfortunate victims whom he had so ruthlessly 
crushed, he turned and went out of the House. 

The Socialists had not at that time obtained the 
great successes which they achieved a few years later, 
when their party became so powerful that the Govern- 
ment was compelled to consider it as a deciding 
factor, or almost so, in any resolutions put forward. 
During the reign of the Emperor William I. the 
number of their deputies never exceeded fourteen. 
Nevertheless, their party attracted much attention, 
as well as its leader, the famous Bebel, who died last 
year. The latter possessed singular eloquence, and not 
only understood how to impress the masses, but also 
to shake the opinions and judgments of his political 
adversaries. 

It was not possible to listen with indifference to 
Bebel when he was speaking on the miseries of suffer- 
ing humanity, and one had the intuition that he was 
telling the truth, and not trying to rouse the pity of 

174 



Bebel, the Socialist 

his audience upon imaginary woes. When he was 
appealing to the feelings of justice and humanity 
of the German people, and imploring it not to allow 
some of its children to be made outlaws on account 
of their political opinions, one could not help thinking 
of those prophets of old whom the Bible tells us were 
aware of the punishments which would be dealt in the 
hereafter to all those who had forgotten the orders 
of their Lord in this life. Bebel was essentially 
an idealist, and this constituted perhaps his greatest 
strength, and allowed him to keep his influence over 
the working population of the Empire. He was a 
demagogue, but he was also a man of order, who 
detested anarchy and repudiated its doctrine. In his 
opinion liberty stood above everything else, except 
the German Fatherland ; and whilst he was continually 
fighting against Prince Bismarck, he was neverthe- 
less ready to become, at need, one of the soldiers 
enlisted under his banner. 

He never used his eloquence in order to excite 
the evil passions of the crowd. He was a first-rate 
organiser and a rigid disciplinarian. He never allowed 
his partisans to discuss the orders which he issued, 
and exacted from them the same obedience a general 
requires from his soldiers. He ruled his party with 
an iron hand, and drilled it into an absolute submis- 
sion not only to his directions, but also to his thoughts. 
In this he imitated the great Minister against whom 
he never ceased fighting so long as the latter remained 
the supreme ruler of German politics. 

Bebel remained the soul of the Socialist party for 
many years. When, later, new men came forward, the 

175 



Memories of Forty Years 

old veteran began to lose some of his importance in 
the eyes of his former partisans, whilst new members 
of the party regarded him as a relic of the past 
rather than as a chief likely to lead his followers to 
victory. The ideas preconised by Bebel have served 
their time in Germany, and I cannot help thinking 
that he himself must have more than once deplored 
the transformation manifest in the opinions of the 
generation which replaced his own. Nevertheless, his 
removal from the political scene will always leave a 
void in the Reichstag, where he caused his party to 
be respected. Respect is not the feeling which Social- 
ism inspires to-day in Germany. 



176 



CHAPTER XVIII 

THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS 

DIPLOMACY used to play a very important part 
in social life at the time of my marriage. 
Both the Emperor and the Empress were extremely 
gracious to the representatives which the foreign Courts 
sent to Berlin ; and the Ambassadors, as well as the 
Ministers who resided in the Prussian capital, found 
themselves the objects of nattering attention. The 
Embassies, too, opened their doors to Berlin society; 
and invitations to the balls which Lord Russell, the 
English Ambassador, and Count Karolyi, the Austrian 
representative, used to give each winter were sought 
after with particular eagerness. 

Lord Odo Russell, who was later known as Lord 
Ampthill, was one of the most distinguished of 
all British diplomats. Those who met him will 
remember to this day his unfailing tact and ability. 
During his long sojourn in the German capital he con- 
trived to remain always upon the best and most cordial 
terms with Prince Bismarck, and at the same time, 
though it may sound remarkable, the most trusted 
friend, of the Crown Prince and Princess. In politics 
his knowledge was as wide as it was deep, and his 
appreciation of the world in which he lived and moved 
was perfectly wonderful. He was never at fault in 

m 177 



Memories of Forty Years 

anything he undertook to do, and never felt embar- 
rassed, no matter in what difficult position his duties 
involved him. 

He was married to one of the daughters of Lord 
Clarendon, who had held the post of Foreign Secre- 
tary during the reign of Queen Victoria, and he found 
in her a companion fully worthy of him and a help- 
meet devoted as well as discerning, whose charm con- 
tributed a good deal to his own successes. Berlin, I 
think, has never possessed a diplomat of Lord Odo's 
ability, nor one more thoroughly popular in society. 
I have never ceased to regret that death carried him 
away before the Emperor Frederick's illness, for I 
feel certain that, had he been still alive, many of the 
regrettable incidents which occurred at that time 
would have been avoided. 

The lovely Countess Fanny Karolyi, the wife of 
the Austrian Ambassador, was a wonderful hostess, 
and delighted in entertaining. Her husband, however, 
did not always share her tastes in this respect, though 
during the time that the Berlin Congress lasted, her 
house served as a meeting-place for all the foreign 
plenipotentiaries who had gathered in the German 
capital. 

Russia at that time was represented by Baron 
d'Oubril, an amiable little man, who appeared but little 
in society after the tragic death of his wife, who was 
drowned whilst bathing in one of the lakes near Pots- 
dam. The Baron enjoyed the reputation of being a 
very able diplomat, but he belonged to an old school, 
and could not quite accommodate himself to the 
system introduced by Bismarck. 

178 



Some Famous Ambassadors 

After the Congress he retired, and his place was 
taken up by M. Sabouroff, who very soon quarrelled 
with the Chancellor. In fact, the relations between 
the Berlin Cabinet and that of St. Petersburg became 
and remained more and more strained, until the 
appointment of Count Paul Schouvaloff, whose tact 
and diplomatic knowledge succeeded in re-establish- 
ing on its former footing the old and traditional in- 
timacy which had existed between the Royal House 
of Prussia and the Imperial House of Russia. 

Italy, whose legation was raised about this time to 
the dignity of an embassy, was represented by Count 
de Launay, a clever and charming man, though un- 
fortunately his wife, an exceedingly cultured woman, 
was almost stone deaf. 

The Belgian and Prussian Royal Families had 
always been upon intimate terms, and this intimacy 
had been strengthened by the marriage of the Princess 
Marie of Hohenzollern with the Count of Flanders, 
the brother of King Leopold. The Belgian representa- 
tive was Baron Nothomb, a statesman of high stand- 
ing and great experience, who had played a consider- 
able part in the recent history of his country previous 
to the election to its throne of the Saxe-Coburg 
dynasty. The Baron and his wife entertained very 
often, and their weekly receptions were attended by 
everybody of note in Berlin, in spite of their dullness 
and solemnity. The Baron was a great favourite with 
Prince Bismarck, who often confided political secrets 
to him and discussed them with him. This preroga- 
tive assured the Belgian representative a special posi- 
tion among his colleagues. 

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Memories of Forty Years 

France was represented by Vicomte de Gontaut 
Biron. He had been entrusted with the difficult task 
of renewing diplomatic relations with the German 
Court after the war of 1870, relations which had been 
interrupted for almost two years. The Vicomte was 
an accomplished man of the world, with the courteous 
manners characteristic of the select society among 
which his lot was cast. His patriotism was above 
suspicion, but his intelligence was not above the 
average, nor was he strong enough to hold his own 
in presence of Prince Bismarck, whom, moreover, he 
had the misfortune to offend on the very day of his 
arrival at Berlin. 

M. de Gontaut Biron had ties of relationship in 
Germany. He was allied to the Duke de Sagan and 
to my sister-in-law, and he made the mistake of trying 
to use them in order to consolidate his official posi- 
tion. He took pains to get into the good books of 
the Empress Augusta, and of her maid, Mile, von Neurn- 
dorff, but unfortunately failed to realise that, although 
his social standing was becoming firmer every day, his 
political one was getting more compromised daily on 
that very account. Gossip soon represented him as 
being in a state of open hostility to the Chancellor, 
and after the false rumours about a renewed attack 
on France that were put into circulation during the 
spring of 1875, his position in Berlin became quite 
impossible. 

His successor was the Count de St. Vallier, one of 
the ablest diplomats that France possessed at that 
time. The Count became one of my closest friends, 
and long after his death I remained on most affection- 

180 



An Estimate of Disraeli 

ate terms with his old parents, the Marquis and the 
Marquise de St. Vallier, whom I used to visit every 
autumn at their historic home, the castle of Coucy 
les Eppes. 

Berlin, during the time that I lived there, was 
the political centre of the world, and I thus had 
an opportunity to become acquainted with the most 
famous diplomats then alive. During the Congress 
that followed upon the conclusion of the peace of 
San Stefano between Russia and Turkey, I got to know 
Lord Beaconsfield (Disraeli, as some people still per- 
sisted in calling him), and I must own to have fallen 
entirely under his charm. As a Russian I was natur- 
ally prejudiced against him. He represented to my 
imagination the incarnation of everything that was 
bad, mischievous and destructive ; and before ever 
I knew him I detested him as a parvenu, and a man 
to whom my country had owed some of its bitterest 
humiliations. But when I became acquainted with 
him all my prejudices melted like snow in spring- 
time. A more fascinating man than Lord Beaconsfield 
never breathed. From the first moment of intro- 
duction one understood the reason of his numerous 
successes, and accepted them as something quite 
natural. He possessed that great charm which belongs 
only to people possessing the utmost confidence in 
their own individuality and in their personal strength. 
He was imbued, too, with the consciousness of the 
power which he wielded, as well as an inbred certainty 
that he would always succeed in doing what he wanted. 
His conversation was a joy to listen to, for he had a 
dry manner of saying the most funny things that was 

181 



Memories of Forty Years 

quite inimitable, and, thanks to his profound know- 
ledge of the world, he never committed the error of 
relating an anecdote before those by whom it would 
not have been appreciated. He knew well the diplo- 
matic value of flattery, and administered it with tact 
and discernment. He was fond of contradicting people, 
but only to give them the pleasure of thinking they 
had converted him to their own opinions. A lady 
reminding him once of a discussion which they had 
had, added, " I still think that I was right." " My 
dear lady," replied Dizzy, " you could never be wrong." 

Lord Beaconsfield liked what the French call " les 
coups de theatre." I think that he never enjoyed 
anything more than the thunderbolt which startled 
the world when it heard of his secret treaty with Russia 
concerning Batoum, and with Turkey concerning the 
cession of Cyprus to England. I remember meeting 
him on that day at a reception given by Countess 
Karolyi. He walked quietly into the room with a 
sphinx-like expression on his face, and I could not 
help asking him what he was thinking of. "I am 
not thinking," he replied ; " I am enjoying myself." 

The Hungarian uniform worn by Count Andrassy 
attracted much attention during the Berlin Congress. 
In the first place, the Count, after having been sen- 
tenced to death by his Sovereign, had become his 
Prime Minister. But apart from that, he was an 
extremely brilliant man and a very able diplomat. 
He had an extraordinary talent for coming out of a 
difficult position with advantage, but I doubt if he pos- 
sessed that broad outlook or prevision which, seeking 
advantage in the future, does not hesitate to sacri- 

182 



Metamorphosed Germany 

fice the present in order to attain it. Had he been 
in the place of Bismarck, for instance, he would have 
marched on Vienna after the victory of Sadowa. 

I doubt if Berlin is as interesting to-day as in those 
early days. The German Empire has now organised 
itself; but when I arrived at the Court of William I., 
Germany was still busy getting into her new place 
in Europe. Old manners and customs have now dis- 
appeared, together with the small, narrow, and un- 
wholesome houses of half a century ago. But does 
this mean that one feels happier in the big barracks 
which grace the principal streets of Berlin to-day ? 
Even the old cathedral, where Prussian monarchs used 
to worship, and where they slept their last, has been 
done away with, and replaced by a new church. Every- 
thing has been transformed — the men as well as their 
customs. And the few people who still remember the 
good old times begin to ask themselves whether, after 
all, they were not a dream. 



183 



CHAPTER XIX 

PRINCE VON HOHENLOHE AND PRINCE VON BULOW 

I KNEW Prince Clovis von Hohenlohe and Prince 
von Biilow very well indeed. The former was a 
statesman without being a politician. He was too 
much of a grand seigneur to care for politics in the 
sense of a career, for they could add nothing to his 
fame ; they gave nothing in exchange for the labour 
they would cost. But Prince von Hohenlohe was a 
sincere patriot, and sacrificed much to his love for 
his native country. He was courteous, kind, sincere, 
and incapable of effecting any compromise with his 
conscience as Prince Bismarck so often did. 

He became Chancellor of the German Empire at a 
critical time, succeeding General Caprivi on the very 
day of the death of the Emperor Alexander III. of 
Russia. It was felt, however, throughout the whole 
of Germany that his assumption of the post entrusted 
to him by the Emperor was a guarantee of peace, 
and that his vast experience would prove a restraining 
influence in any complications that might arise. 

Prince Hohenlohe was perhaps the most respected 
personality in Germany at this time. He had given 
proofs of his high integrity ; and it would have been 
impossible to find a better guide for his Sovereign, 
with whom, by the way, he was connected by marriage, 

184 



Contrasted Personalities 

the mother of the present Empress being Princess of 
Hohenlohe. 

Prince Clovis was a small man, whose figure was 
slightly bent even in his young days. He spoke softly, 
he moved softly, and gave one the impression of being 
a very highly cultured person, which indeed he was. 
His was not a warlike spirit, and if all that is related 
can be believed, he tried to imbue the Emperor with 
his own personal horror of war. He had a keen in- 
sight, and observed humanity as closely and as 
well as he observed events, with the result that no 
one had a better knowledge of the secret history of 
Europe. 

Prince Hohenlohe had no personal ambition, no 
love for popularity, and no desire for the approval of 
the masses. He was in no sense the man of his time, 
but he succeeded in imposing himself, as well as his 
opinions and ideas, on those who belonged to it. 

In his administration of the affairs of the Empire 
he showed the same wisdom he had displayed in 
Alsace-Lorraine, and as German Ambassador in Paris, 
where he contrived to smooth away many difficulties 
and to relieve the tension caused by the Franco- 
German war. 

When he retired from office it was regretted every- 
where, and perhaps even more abroad than in his 
own country. 

As for Prince von Biilow, he was a very different 
type of man and perhaps less conscientious. Though 
he cared more for personal matters than Prince Clovis, 
he cared less how events affected his own future, being 
a gambler who had taught himself how to lose as well as 

185 



Memories of Forty Years 

how to win. Few people have fallen from a high 
position with more philosophy, or have given up 
political life with more equanimity. But then the 
mind of Prince von Billow was able to rise above the 
petty things of life ; he knew too well his own in- 
tellectual worth to feel hurt at the crowd's lack of 
appreciation. In his Roman retreat, under the shade 
of the old trees of the Villa Malta, he has cause to 
remember with pride, but without regret, those distant 
days when he held the direction of German politics in 
the hollow of his hand. 

Prince Bulow is a very clever man — this is a fact 
generally admitted. Yet with all the opportunities he 
has had to achieve great things, he has somehow 
missed doing so. His activity, great as it was, has 
proved barren, and he is remembered by the German 
public less than are General Capri vi or Prince Hohen- 
lohe, to whom he was vastly superior in intellect. 

As a man of the world, Prince Billow was one of 
the pleasantest gentlemen it has ever been my for- 
tune to know. He was well read, had charming 
manners, a very keen, observing eye, whilst his sar- 
casms were delightful. There was, perhaps, a shade 
of affectation in the way he had of talking about in- 
tellectual subjects ; but I think that this was more 
the fault of the surroundings amid which he had 
spent his early youth than that of his character or 
temperament. At the time he entered society there 
existed in Berlin a certain small coterie in which he 
found himself entangled, for whom Wagner was as a 
god and Schopenhauer was considered as his prophet. 
Bulow, or young Billow as one used to call him at 

186 



Billow's Secret Ambition 

the time, fell entirely under the influence of this 
coterie, and began talking as well and as much as 
did other members of this circle about the theories of 
the Frankfurt philosopher. In this direction he dis- 
played his marvellous power of assimilation. He had 
a knack all his own of adroitly avoiding subjects upon 
which he did not feel quite sure, and, too, an easy 
way of evading the revelation of what he really be- 
lieved or thought about any particular topic. 

With ladies Billow was very popular. Men liked 
him less, but he was a great favourite with Prince 
Bismarck, who appreciated his many and varied abil- 
ities. And all the time he was himself paying court 
to the Chancellor he never lost an opportunity of 
studying the latter, or of keeping an eye upon his 
political line of conduct, in view of the day when 
he might find himself called to become the successor 
of that great man. 

Once, when he still held the position of secretary 
at the St. Petersburg Embassy, under General von 
Schweinitz, I asked him casually whether he would 
care to come back one day to the big northern 
capital in the character of an Ambassador. He re- 
plied at once that he would never become that, but 
he might one day fill the place which his father had 
occupied, and which then belonged to Count Paul 
Hatzfeld — that of Foreign Secretary. He did not go 
so far as to say that he might become Chancellor, but 
I am sure he had it in his mind. 

Prince Billow was born under a lucky star, but 
perhaps the luckiest thing which happened to him 
was his marriage with the beautiful and distinguished 

187 



Memories of Forty Years 

woman who bears his name at the present day. Prin- 
cess von Biilow, who is an Italian by birth, has had 
the best of influences over her husband, and since he 
married her he has lost a good deal of his former 
affectation. 

The secret of the influence the Princess has with 
him lies in the fact that she knows how to keep the 
mind of her husband employed, and has directed its 
activity towards artistic and scientific subjects, thus pre- 
venting him from mourning the loss of power. Husband 
and wife are both fond of their Roman home, and 
the Princess, owing to the fact that she is the step- 
daughter of the distinguished statesman M. Minghetti, 
holds an exceptional position at the Italian Court. 
Her house has become a centre for the intellectual 
society of Rome, and sometimes — very seldom though — 
the Prince allows himself to forget his role as a modern 
Cincinnatus, and to express an opinion as to politics 
which otherwise he affects to have quite forgotten. 

But one thing he regrets. Though he managed to 
overcome many of the prejudices entertained against 
him in various quarters, he could never mould the 
Emperor William II. to his way of thinking, nor induce 
him to follow the lead which he desired him to take. 
This is the only crumpled rose-leaf that disturbs his 
slumbers. He realises it now, and he regrets it the 
more, that he had allowed certain people whom he 
knew well to guess that his secret ambition was to 
replace Prince Bismarck at the side of the third German 
Emperor. 

William II., after having liked him extremely, soon 
grew very impatient with him, and resented the authori- 

188 



William II. and Bulow 

tative manner the Prince assumed at times. When 
later he made his famous speech in the Reichstag, 
promising that the Emperor would never more in- 
dulge in public manifestations of his opinions without 
having first consulted his Chancellor or the responsible 
head of his government, he mortally offended the 
Sovereign, who from that day waited for the first 
opportunity to dispense with the services of a man 
who had forgotten to be grateful for the favours he 
had lavished upon him. 

William II. did not have to wait long. The day 
soon dawned when Prince von Bulow had to retire 
from public life, and was made to feel that there was 
no forgiveness for him. The Emperor William II. is 
not a man to forget or to forgive. But Prince Bulow 
has no wish for a revanche ; he is quite happy among 
his roses, looking from the height of his Villa Malta 
on the glories of " Roma Aeterna," where he has found 
a rest that his native country, had he remained in it, 
would never have afforded him. 

Let us leave him there, a philosopher who has 
never studied philosophy ; a statesman who perhaps 
has reason to feel thankful to the circumstances that 
have removed him from the political arena. 



189 



CHAPTER XX 

PRINCESS VICTORIA 

1HAVE deliberately abstained from referring earlier 
to the Empress Victoria. My respect for her 
memory compels me to write of her with reverence 
and at some length. 

The Empress has never been given the place in 
history which she deserves to occupy. Few person- 
alities have been so bitterly discussed as that of the 
consort of Frederick III., and too often judged without 
impartiality. 

Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa was born in London, 
at Buckingham Palace, on November 21st, 1840, and 
was the first child of the marriage of Queen Victoria 
with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. She received 
almost immediately after her birth the title of Princess 
Royal of Great Britain and Ireland, and under that 
name she was always thought of in England. 

From her earliest childhood she was the object of 
her father's special affection, and he watched with 
the utmost care over her education. 

Gifted with the rarest qualities of heart and mind, 
she was very soon the pride of her parents and the 
idol of her country. In her letters to her uncle, King 
Leopold of Belgium, Queen Victoria constantly spoke 
of " Vicky," as the young Princess was called at home, 

190 



Victoria's Childhood 

and related the progress she had been making in her 
studies. The Queen brought up her numerous children 
to be strictly obedient; indeed she was almost more 
a Queen than a mother to them. Prince Albert, on the 
contrary, liked to be familiar with his children, and 
established an intimacy with the Princess Royal 
closer than that generally existing between father and 
daughter. 

The Prince more than once found himself in a 
false and delicate position on account of the suscepti- 
bilities of the British, who feared the possible influ- 
ence he might exercise over the Queen, and through 
her over English politics. The situation led him often 
to say that the position of a husband to a reigning 
Queen reminded him of that of the Consort of a King, 
except that it had none of its advantages. 

It was under the influence of the difficulties of his 
personal position that Prince Albert, unknown per- 
haps to himself, tried to train his eldest daughter 
to become a companion likely to be helpful to a 
Sovereign. Truly German in his heart and sympathies, 
Prince Albert had remained German also in his habits 
and tastes ; and he liked to think that his daughter 
would become in time a German Sovereign, and take 
to her new country a knowledge of English methods 
of government, the superiority of which he frankly 
admitted. Accordingly he spent a great deal of time 
teaching his daughter kingcraft and other subjects 
that did not, at that time, form part of feminine 
education. 

When the Queen went to Paris to see the Emperor 
Napoleon III. in the year 1855, she was accompanied 

191 



Memories of Forty Years 

by the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, and the 
Princess Royal. 

It was then that the latter made her debut, and 
she always remembered all the details of this memor- 
able visit. A few months later she was betrothed to 
Prince Frederick William of Prussia. 

Her marriage was the realisation of one of the 
dearest and most secret wishes of the Prince Consort, 
who for a long time past had been working for it with 
his friend and adviser, Baron Stockmar. Both men 
were pietists by nature, and ever since the birth of the 
Princess Royal they had nursed the secret desire to 
see the two greatest Protestant dynasties in Europe 
united by matrimony. Nevertheless, it is to be doubted 
whether these desires would have been gratified with- 
out the sympathy and the affection that the Princess 
Victoria and the future Emperor Frederick felt for 

each other. 

A letter from Queen Victoria has given us details 
of this sweet love idyll, which developed so rapidly 
that the betrothal of the young couple, although it 
had been decided to keep it secret for a year, had to 
be announced at once, owing to the impatience of the 
Prince, who, whilst on an excursion with the family 
of his future wife in the Highlands of Scotland, 
gathered some white heather and offered it to the 
Princess as a token of his love. 

More than twenty years later, the Crown Prince of 
Germany, while talking to me at a ball in the old 
Castle of Berlin, told me himself of this episode, 
and took the opportunity to speak of the deep love 
and affection that he had always felt for his wife. 

192 



The Royal Wedding 

" She has been the guardian angel of my existence," 
he said ; " and she has helped me to bear all its 
sorrows and dark hours. She is perfection itself as 
a woman." 

The marriage was celebrated with great pomp in 
the private chapel of St. James's Palace, in London, 
and a few days later the young bride took leave of 
her parents and family, and, accompanied by the 
regrets as well as by the best wishes of the whole of 
England, started for her new home. 

She was received in Germany with much enthusiasm, 
and it seemed at first that she would quickly gain the 
love of the country that had become her own. Un- 
fortunately, things turned out differently. The Prin- 
cess, though not at all spoiled under her mother's 
roof, was too young to fully realise that the secret of 
Royal success consists in always smiling, whatever the 
circumstances. She felt bewildered, as young brides 
do when forced to undergo a change of country and 
surroundings, and she did not understand how to hide 
her feelings from others. 

Then, before she could assemble her surprised and 
startled thoughts she found herself confronted by the 
imposing figure of her mother-in-law, the Princess of 
Prussia, who was to become later the Empress Augusta, 
a woman of domineering manner, eager for influence, 
entirely devoid of tact, and who neither could nor 
would enter into the sufferings of the child who had 
been brought so suddenly into her family circle. 

Thrown back upon her own resources, thwarted in 
all her youthful ambitions, reminded at every step 
that England as well as its customs ought to be 

n 193 



Memories of Forty Years 

forgotten by her, and that the only thing which 
she had the right to remember was that she was a 
Prussian, and the wife of a Prussian Prince, the Princess 
Victoria began to shun the world, and sought in 
study the strength to accomplish the duties that, 
according to human probabilities, were soon to be- 
come hers. She then conceived the noble plan of 
helping her husband to govern the country over which 
one day he would be called upon to reign according 
to constitutional principles, such as she had seen dis- 
played in England. She forgot, in her inexperience, 
that what is possible in one country is often not 
practicable in another. 

Scarcely one year after her marriage she wrote a 
memorandum concerning the duties of a constitutional 
monarch, which Lord Clarendon described as one of 
the most remarkable things he had ever read. This 
memorandum was sent to Prince Albert, but unfor- 
tunately it became too much talked about, and it 
awakened the first symptoms of distrust against the 
young Princess. People began to say that she was 
meddling too much in politics and trying to influence 
her husband in a direction contrary to the traditions 
of the House of Hohenzollern. 

When, a few years after her marriage, the death 
of the King Frederick William IV. transformed her 
into a Crown Princess, that feeling of distrust grew in 
proportion to the importance of her present and future 
position. Princess Victoria was accused of being too 
English in her tastes and sympathies, of bringing up 
her children according to English principles, and try- 
ing to implant English customs in Berlin. Later on, 

194 



Muzzling the Press 

when King William appointed Bismarck as President 
of the Council of Ministers, a regrettable struggle be- 
gan between the latter and the Crown Prince — a 
struggle which reached its culminating point at the 
time of the famous Dantzig incident, which very few 
people outside Germany remember now. 

The first serious conflict that arose between the 
King and the Crown Prince happened in the year 
1863, when William I., in conjunction with Bismarck, 
inaugurated that system of government which was to 
bring Prussia to its later state of greatness and change 
the whole map of Europe. 

A Royal decree limiting the liberty of the press 
had been published, and under the inspiration of the 
Crown Princess, who was indignant at a measure that 
shocked her English feelings of liberty, the Prince, 
who had then just started on a voyage of inspection 
in Eastern Prussia, wrote to the King from Dantzig 
and expressed his disapprobation of the measure, com- 
plaining that he had not been asked to participate in 
the discussions that had taken place in the Council of 
State concerning it. 

On the 5th of June there was a reception in the 
town hall of Dantzig, and amongst other things which 
he said in reply to the address of welcome presented 
to him by the burgomaster, the Crown Prince made 
use of the following imprudent expression : "I regret 
to have come here at a moment when a serious dis- 
accord, the news of which has surprised me greatly, 
has occurred between the government and the country. 
I was away. I have taken no part in the deliberations 
that have led to such a result." 

195 



Memories of Forty Years 

These words, uttered by the Heir to the Throne, 
produced everywhere a deep impression, which was 
further strengthened by an energetic protest against 
the decree limiting the freedom until then enjoyed by 
the press which he sent to the Ministry of State. The 
King wrote his son a very angry letter. The latter 
replied requesting to be relieved from his military 
functions, and to be allowed to retire from public life 
with the Princess and his children. 

It was then that Bismarck intervened. He suc- 
ceeded in calming the King and in making the Crown 
Prince understand the necessity of submitting willingly 
to that fundamental principle of the Prussian constitu- 
tion, which asserts that there is no place in Prussia 
for opposition on the part of the Heir to the Crown. 

It may seem strange that it was Bismarck who 
preached moderation, who did all he possibly could 
to end this conflict between father and son. The 
conflict, no doubt, was aggravated by an article in 
The Times, which congratulated the Crown Prince 
upon having a wife who not only shared his liberal 
opinions, but who was also capable of being a great 
help to him in an important and critical moment in 
his life. 

I mention this article, as well as the incident of 
Dantzig, as it was called at the time, because it was 
from that moment that the accusation of being so 
thoroughly an Englishwoman, and of trying to per- 
suade her husband to govern Prussia according to 
the principles of the English constitution, was first 
launched in a most positive manner against the Crown 
Princess. 

196 



Bismarck's Good Deed 

The article in The Times did her much harm, and 
she was accused openly of having inspired it. Bis- 
marck, however, who frankly disliked her, at once 
understood that the Crown Princess would have been 
incapable of using the medium of a newspaper in order 
to sing her own praises. He was also aware that she 
had too deep a feeling of her own dignity as heiress 
to a throne to have had anything to do with such 
a vulgar glorification of her person. Thus, when the 
King accused his daughter-in-law of having inspired 
the article, he did his best to destroy the misappre- 
hension of the aged monarch, and, but for his inter- 
vention, a serious quarrel would have taken place 
between the Sovereign and his heir. The Crown Prince 
recognised this fact, and never forgot the service 
which his father's Minister had rendered him at that 
critical hour of his life. Like a true Hohenzollern, 
moreover, he showed his gratitude subsequently by 
giving his support to the Chancellor of the new Empire 
on some occasions when the latter found himself at 
variance with the Sovereign. 

In 1866, when King William refused his consent to 
the conclusion of peace with Austria after the victory 
of Sadowa, and wanted to march upon Vienna, a measure 
Bismarck considered dangerous, it was the Crown 
Prince who finally persuaded his father to follow his 
great Minister's advice. 

" As I see that my President of the Council aban- 
dons me in presence of the enemy," wrote William I., 
" and as I am not able to find here anyone to take 
his place, I have discussed the question with my son. 
He has rallied himself to the opinion of the President 

197 



Memories of Forty Years 

of the Council, and I find myself obliged, to my utmost 
sorrow and grief, after the brilliant victories won by 
the army, to swallow this bitter pill and to accept 
a shameful peace." 

The period of the war with Austria was a brilliant 
one in the life of the Crown Prince. He revealed him- 
self as an able general, and the laurels which he had 
won at Koniggratz proclaimed him a national hero. 
The Crown Princess also, through the care that she 
took of the wounded and sick, through her activity in 
the cause of charity, and through her utter unselfish- 
ness, recovered some of the popularity she had lost. 

She herself also changed ; she became acquainted 
with the seriousness of life, and softened by her con- 
tact with suffering. The death of her father was the 
first cruel blow to shake her serenity. It taught her 
that human happiness is, like life itself, but fleeting ; 
whilst the sudden end of her third son, who died whilst 
his father was away fighting in the Austrian war, 
was a shock under which the Crown Princess nearly 
succumbed. 

The letters which she wrote at that time to her 
family and her friends are heartrending to read ; and 
she could not resign herself for many years to her 
loss. Her lady-in-waiting and faithful friend, Countess 
Hedwig Bruhl, told me that she was quite surprised 
when she first saw the Princess dressed again in a 
coloured frock; and the way in which she told me of 
this incident conveyed to me how dearly she loved 
her Royal mistress. 

After the events of 1866 the Crown Prince spent 
even more time in his home than formerly. He and 

198 









Empress Frederick of Prussia. 



Frederick's Home Life 

his wife devoted themselves largely to the education of 
their children, though they varied the monotony of life 
by frequent journeys abroad and by entertaining their 
few really intimate friends. At this time, moreover, 
the Princess began to enjoy a greater independence, 
and tried to gather round her a circle whose tastes 
were in sympathy with her own, though she still occupied 
herself with political matters in a quiet, unobtrusive 
manner. The war of 1870, however, completely changed 
the life of the Royal couple. 

No one deplored it more than did Prince Frederick 
William. He hated the idea of witnessing again the 
bloody scenes that had so painfully impressed them- 
selves upon his mind in 1866, and, in addition, 
was fully aware of the importance of the struggle, 
and of the consequences it was bound to have on the 
future of his country. 

His father consented only after long hesitation to 
accept the Imperial Crown. The Crown Prince, how- 
ever, did not share this aversion to the inheritance 
of Charles the Great. On the contrary, he was quite 
ready to see himself the Sovereign of a confederated 
Germany ; but his nature was too earnest and too 
deep not to look with fear and dread upon a struggle, 
the results of which would be either to make the 
country forget at least the disaster of Jena, or else 
to humiliate it once more before the descendants 
of the Corsican adventurer, in whose presence Queen 
Louisa had wept at Tilsit. 

The Crown Princess shared the feelings of her 
Consort, but being also a woman with a womanly 
heart, she could not but be proud of the new laurels 

199 



Memories of Forty Years 

that he was about to win. She retained a passionate 
adoration for the man whose destiny she had been 
called upon to share ; she tried to give his every 
thought preference to her own with a persistence 
that was wonderful in a nature so strong as hers ; 
she thought only of him, and she was proud of but 
one thing — of being his wife. Full of hope for the 
future, she longed for the day when she would wear 
a crown, because she would then have the joy of see- 
ing him in possession of her ambitions ; and if some- 
times she showed impatience, it was not because she 
wanted to become an Empress, as people have said, 
but because she longed for the whole world to know 
her husband as she knew him — a wise, enlightened 
ruler, living only for the welfare and the happiness 
of his people. 

When she came to meet him after the triumphs of 
1870, bringing with her that same laurel crown which 
she was later on to lay on his death-bed, there was such 
an expression of joy on her face that the Prince took 
her in his arms and cried : " Vicky, you love me as 
well as you did at Balmoral ! " 



200 



CHAPTER XXI 

THE PERSONALITY OF THE CROWN PRINCESS 
VICTORIA 

1WAS presented to the Crown Princess of Germany 
in November, 1873, a few weeks after my first 
marriage. She received me and my mother-in-law in 
her study, in the palace which she occupied in Berlin, 
and which is now the residence of her grandson, the 
heir to the Prussian Throne. The Court was in mourn- 
ing for Queen Elizabeth, the widow of Frederick 
William IV., and the crepe veil which the Princess 
was wearing did not allow me to see her well. But 
later, when I knew her better, I learned to guess the 
riddle of her beautiful eyes, whose expression was 
quite indescribable. 

The Princess, though not a great conversationalist, 
knew how to find the right words at the right time. 
She was intensely sympathetic, and, despite the magni- 
ficence and grandeur which hemmed in her life, found 
time to interest herself in the sorrows and afflictions 
of those around her. Always kind and indulgent, 
she learned not to judge others harshly. Given to the 
highest thoughts, occupied by the noblest interests, 
absorbed by the most generous plans for the future, 
she disdained the plaudits of the crowd, and with 
equal serenity ignored its injustices. She lived in a 

201 



Memories of Forty Years 

world entirely her own, where charity, art, literature, 
and science reigned supreme. Her voice was wonder- 
ful in its harmony; it was soft and clear, and she had 
a happy knack of conveying to the mind of her listeners 
the exact impression she wished to give. 

I remember one day, towards the end of the life 
of the Empress when I was with her in Berlin, that 
our conversation fell upon someone who had offended 
her in the past, and I was rather surprised to find 
that her judgments concerning that person had be- 
come modified, and that she even spoke of her with 
some sympathy. I could not help making a remark 
to that effect to Her Majesty, who then put her hand 
on my arm as if to command my attention : iC Let 
us forget the past," she said. " You remember the 
epitaph in Westminster Abbey, ' Nescire et errare 
humanum est.' I have come to the conclusion that 
this is the only judgment we have the right to utter." 
When the triumphs that attended the Franco- 
German war had given King William the crown of 
Charles the Great and of Barbarossa, the politics of 
Prussia, which had become those of the German 
Empire, naturally underwent a radical change. When 
I arrived at Berlin the new Empire had just begun, 
and Prince Bismarck dominated the whole scene. His 
relations with the Heir to the Throne had for a short 
time been cordial, but now again became strained. 
Bismarck accused both the Crown Prince and the 
Princess of joining in intrigues against him. At that 
time the French Ambassador, the Viscount de Gontaut 
Biron, was the soul of a small coterie distinctly hostile 
to Bismarck, but owing to family ties he was received 

202 



A Memorable Evening 

both by the Empress Augusta and by the Crown 
Prince. The German Chancellor, therefore, elected to 
vent his ire upon the latter. 

A rather bitter correspondence followed, and though 
it was easy for the Prince to prove to Bismarck that 
his suspicions were unfounded, the Chancellor con- 
tinued to regard the future Emperor with mistrust, 
and for a long time would have nothing to say or 
to do with him. Some advances that were made to 
him by the Crown Princess, who did not care to be 
on bad terms with the all-powerful Minister, were 
repulsed, and the misunderstanding only came to an 
end owing to the intervention of a mutual friend, 
whom I have always suspected of being Lord Russell, 
who was then British Ambassador at the Court of 
Berlin. At any rate, the breach somehow or other 
was patched up, and on the 21st of November, her 
birthday, the Crown Princess gave a party at which 
Prince Bismarck, to the surprise of all who knew him, 
because he never went out anywhere in the evening, 
condescended to appear. 

I shall never forget that evening. We assembled 
in a room, the dark blue velvet furniture of which had 
been severely criticised by some people, who thought 
it was rather funereal ; and we were waiting for the 
Prince and Princess to make their entry, when 
through a side door appeared the figure of the 
Chancellor in the uniform of a white cuirassier. 
Everybody was struck dumb with stupefaction, and 
Bismarck, who realised perfectly well the impression 
that his unexpected appearance had produced, looked 
round with a sarcastic smile. He remained thus for 

203 



Memories of Forty Years 

a few minutes ; then the door of the Crown Princess's 
study was opened, and she herself entered the drawing- 
room, accompanied by the Prince and followed by 
her attendants. She paused near the lady who was 
standing nearest the door and spoke a few words 
with her ; then, without the least haste, crossed the 
room, and approached the Chancellor. 

They began talking together, but Bismarck seemed 
not to be quite at his ease, and all the while he was 
conversing with the Crown Princess he kept pulling and 
twisting his long military glove, whilst she, for her 
part, carefully preserved her " Royal manner." After 
five minutes or so she bowed slightly to the Chancellor 
and passed on with that trailing step which was 
peculiar to her. Then the Crown Prince approached 
the Minister. As he did so Bismarck's attitude changed 
at once. He, who had appeared to be rather em- 
barrassed whilst speaking with the Princess Victoria, 
drew himself up, and, haughty, resolute, and proud, 
brought the whole weight of his personality to bear 
on this erstwhile opponent. 

There was another episode in the life of the Crown 
Princess which I witnessed, and which, like the one 
I have just related, has remained engraved for ever 
in my memory. It was on a June evening. The old 
Emperor had been wounded by Nobiling, and his 
death was expected at any moment. The political cir- 
cumstances were unusually grave ; the Berlin Con- 
gress was to meet in a few days ; the peace of Europe 
was trembling in the balance. After he had been 
brought back into his palace, William I., during one 
of the rare moments when consciousness returned to 

204 



Attempt to Kill the Emperor 

him, found the strength to sign a decree conferring the 
Regency on the Crown Prince during his illness. 

The Prince was then in England, and the news 
of the murderous attempt upon his father's life reached 
him at Hatfield House, where he was staying with 
Lord Salisbury. It was on a Sunday, and there was 
some difficulty in arranging for a special train to 
convey the Prince and the Princess to Dover. The 
telegrams that awaited them at every station where 
they stopped described the condition of the Emperor 
as being extremely critical and almost desperate. 
When they arrived at Berlin they were received 
almost as if they had been already sovereigns. 

The evening was hot and rainy, dark, and the 
moon was hidden ; it was about eleven o'clock. An 
immense crowd was gathered around the station to 
meet the travellers. When they left their railway 
carriage the Princess found some gracious words to say 
to those whom she knew ; but the Prince appeared 
to be very nervous, and replied with some impatience 
to the greetings with which he was welcomed. A 
lady who in former days had vainly tried to be admitted 
to the intimacy of the Imperial couple rushed towards 
the Princess and kissed her hands, addressing her at 
the same time as "Your Majesty." The face of Prin- 
cess Victoria changed considerably, and withdrawing 
her hands, " I am not the Empress, madame," she 
said, and passed on rather hurriedly. 

It is certain that this haste which she found on 
the part of some people to give her a title which 
was not yet hers, made an unpleasant impression 
upon her because it really voiced her secret ambitions. 

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Memories of Forty Years 

Nevertheless, during the illness of the Emperor she 
displayed extraordinary tact, and was very attentive 
to her father-in-law and the Empress Augusta. 

The Prince as Regent found himself in an exceed- 
ingly difficult position, and obliged to follow the 
political line traced by the Chancellor rather than 
the one which he wished to see adopted. He ex- 
pected at least that, as a reward for his docility, 
he would be allowed henceforward to share with his 
father the cares of the State. But Bismarck did not 
intend anything of the kind ; nor did the old Emperor. 
As soon as the latter felt himself restored to his usual 
health, he resumed the reins of government, and the 
Crown Prince had to step back once more into the 
obscurity of his former life. 

The Princess felt it deeply. She had hoped so 
much to be able at last to execute — or, rather, to 
see executed — all the humanitarian plans of her hus- 
hand, and she firmly believed that his administration 
of affairs would have convinced the Emperor that he 
could without fear allow his son to replace him some- 
times, and thus help him to bear the heavy burden 
that rested upon his shoulders. 

At this time Princess Victoria had many sorrows 
to bear. She lost first her favourite sister, the Grand 
Duchess of Hesse ; then came the death of her own 
son, Prince Waldemar, a youth in whom she had 
centred her highest hopes. And after that blow came 
many others — disappointments of every kind, anxiety 
concerning her other children and her husband, who 
had fallen into a state of utter lassitude caused by 
the discouragement accorded to him. 

206 



Victoria's Literary Friends 

She endeavoured even more than she had done 
formerly to fight against her forced inaction ; and it 
was about that time that she assembled round herself 
and the Prince that circle of friends who came to 
share their life and soften the bitterness that so 
often spoiled what would otherwise have been the 
source of much real joy. The Princess was very 
eclectic in her tastes, and used to receive, together 
with Mommsen, Helmholtz, Dubois Raymond, most of 
the great scientists and artists of modern Germany. 
The historian Ranke was a special favourite of hers, 
and she once asked him to give her some lessons 
in history — lessons that sometimes exhausted her 
patience by the extreme impartiality which the great 
thinker used to pronounce all his judgments. The 
dryness of Ranke' s dicta used to get on her nerves ; 
but in spite of it she felt a great sympathy for his 
person, as well as an immense admiration for his 
erudition. "The History of the Popes" was a work 
which she always had with her ; and she wrote a 
commentary upon it which excited the unstinted 
admiration of the aged historian. 

Wherever she went the Crown Princess sought the 
society of interesting people, and all who had the 
opportunity of approaching her remained under the 
charm of her conversation and rare intelligence. Some- 
times she had discussions with those whom she was 
entertaining, but these discussions were ever courteous 
and kind. Only once do I remember her getting 
impatient, and that was with Lecky the historian. 
They were talking about the book of Renan, " The 
Life of Jesus," which the Princess admired very much*. 

207 



Memories of Forty Years 

Lecky, on the contrary, found the work superficial, 
and was irritated at the enthusiastic manner in which 
the Princess Victoria expressed herself, remarking that 
he could not forgive Renan for having " transformed 
Christ into a shepherd of Florian." The Princess 
turned her back upon him, and for a long time refused 
to speak to him again. 

The religious convictions of the Crown Princess 
have been very much discussed. She had a mind too 
much addicted to criticism to consent ever to accept 
as absolute the dogmas that were preached in a church, 
no matter which it was ; but her faith in God and 
her belief in a future life were as strong as they were 
sincere. She proved it by the way in which she 
lived, practising to the utmost the beautiful maxim 
of Guizot, that " a pure life is in itself a profession of 
faith." She was tolerant above all things, and was 
convinced that in religious matters individual liberty 
should be respected. 

Her house was a centre of a literary and scientific 
activity, and her evening parties will long remain in 
the memory of those who had the honour to be in- 
vited to them. I remember meeting Matthew Arnold 
at one of them ; at another, Richter, the celebrated 
painter ; also Cornelia Meyerbeer, the daughter of the 
famous composer ; the Countess Schleinitz, afterwards 
Countess Volkenstein ; Angeli, the painter, to whom 
one owes the two best portraits that were ever made 
of the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess ; Count 
Ferdinand Harrach, also an artist of no mean value, 
with his wife, the pretty Countess Helene ; Helm- 
holtz, the chemist, professor at the Berlin University ; 

208 



William II. and His Mother 

Rudolph and Paul Lindau, two brothers, the elder 
attached to the Foreign Office, the younger a journal- 
ist and writer of much ability. In addition to such 
celebrities as these I met deputies of the Reichstag ; 
members of the Prussian House of Lords ; military 
men who played an important part in the history of 
the world, such as Field-Marshal von Moltke, General 
Blumenthal, and Marshal von Manteuffel ; Roth- 
schild, the head of the famous banking house of that 
name in Frankfurt ; the Mendelssohn-Bartholdys ; 
Ley den, the physician ; Mommsen, the historian — also 
used to attend the Princess's parties. 

From time to time, too, she gave fancy balls ; and 
no one who was present at it can forget the Venetian 
fete which she organised, and at which she appeared 
herself wearing the costume of Leonora Gonzagua, 
after the picture from Titian, in the Pitti Gallery at 
Florence — a costume that suited her admirably. On 
the anniversary of her silver wedding an Elizabethan 
party was given at the Palace, and the court of that 
famous Queen of England was reproduced so perfectly 
that the scene is talked about to this day in Berlin. 
When I close my eyes I can still see the Princess, 
dressed in silver brocade, standing beside the Prince 
under a canopy in the White Hall of the old Royal 
Castle, gazing with an amused and tender glance at 
all the costumed people who filed past her, and whom 
she thanked with her sweet smile. It was the last 
festivity which she was to attend ; afterwards came 
very quickly — too quickly, indeed — troubles, sorrows, 
mourning, and death. 

It was about that time that serious misunderstand- 

o 209 



Memories of Forty Years 

ings began to arise between her and her eldest son, 
the Emperor William of to-day. These misunder- 
standings were aggravated by the interference of mis- 
chievous people who were eager to sow dissensions 
between mother and son. It was also then that the 
latent antipathy that had always existed between the 
Crown Princess and Prince Bismarck changed into 
violent hatred. 

The great crime of the Iron Chancellor was the 
cruel way in which he fomented, by all means in his 
power, the disunion which already existed between 
young Prince William and his parents, whom he tried 
to lower in the estimation of the aged Emperor by 
contrasting their conduct with that of his grandson, 
who, as he continually told him, was alone worthy 
to succeed him. The first step which was made in 
order to diminish the prestige and the popularity of 
the Crown Prince was taken after the death of Field- 
Marshal von Manteuffel, when Bismarck proposed to 
William I. to replace him in his quality of Imperial 
Lieutenant in Alsace-Lorraine by young Prince William. 
The plan had to be abandoned almost immediately, 
owing to the resistance with which it was met on the 
part of the Crown Prince, whose clear outlook had 
at once grasped the consequences which such an 
appointment would have had in the future, and the 
unpopularity which it would inevitably have won 
for his son among certain political parties. It was 
entirely to this feeling — and not at all to a silly jeal- 
ousy to see him invested with an authority that had 
always been refused to himself — that must be attri- 
buted the opposition of the Crown Prince. But the 

210 



Emperor William Dies 

noble feeling that guided him on that occasion was 
misunderstood by the object of his solicitude, as well 
as by the old Emperor and the great Minister who 
at that time ruled over the destinies of the German 
Empire. 

It was in the course of the winter of 1887 that 
sinister rumours concerning the health of the Crown 
Prince began to circulate among the public. Alas ! 
they proved to be but too true, and it soon became 
evident that the days of the Prince were numbered. 
The Emperor was living still, always at his post, always 
fulfilling the round of his daily duties, weakened by 
the weight of his many years, but valiant in spite of 
them, and of the heavy troubles that were poisoning 
his last hours. Intrigues without number arose around 
him. The lowest of cupidities were awakened at this 
critical moment in German history ; and the story 
of these things was carried even to the shores of the 
Mediterranean, under the shade of the trees which 
surrounded the Villa Zirio, where Frederick William 
was slowly dying in presence of his despairing wife. 

The world was watching this tragedy, and won- 
dered what would happen next, and who would suc- 
cumb first — the old father, tottering under the load 
of his many years, or the son, broken by an illness 
from which no recovery could be hoped. Around 
these two tombs, already opened and awaiting their 
occupants, greedy ambitions, selfish longings, and brutal 
appetites were righting a remorseless battle, forgetting 
the whole time that this future belonged to God alone. 

It was He who finally intervened. Whilst the life 
of Prince Frederick William was trembling in the 

211 



Memories of Forty Years 

balance, that of his father came to a sudden end, with- 
out any special warning. The old man, exhausted by 
the fatigue of his long existence, dropped into that 
long sleep from which there is no awakening. His 
son became Emperor. And when at last he had the 
power to realise all the generous plans of his youth, 
and to do all the good which he had wished so ardently 
to do, it was too late — he was already dying. 



212 



CHAPTER XXII 

VICTORIA AS EMPRESS 

THE PRINCESS VICTORIA became Empress. 
What passed in her soul and thoughts at that 
solemn moment when at last the Imperial Crown 
became hers ? Very probably her first feeling was 
one of despair in presence of this cruel irony of fate. 
After having hoped so much, after having shared so 
many high ambitions, so many disinterested and 
humanitarian plans with the husband she loved, she 
found herself in the presence of an inexorable reality 
which took away from her with one hand all that it 
had given to her with the other. 

Instead of sharing the throne with the companion 
of her life, she saw herself watching at his death-bed. 
No tragedy could have been more cruel. Yet the 
Empress bore herself magnificently, and showed to 
the world the strength of her admirable character. In 
those tragic hours when the faltering but nevertheless 
firm hand of Frederick III. took up the reins of the 
German Empire, she was sublime in her abnegation, 
in her utter forge tfulness of her own sufferings. She 
succeeded in hiding from the world the anguish under 
which she was breaking down, and found the courage to 
speak in hopeful tones to the poor invalid who knew 
but too well that no hope was left to either of them. 

213 



Memories of Forty Years 

During the short three months that she was Empress 
she appeared only once in public, and that was when 
inundations devastated the province of Silesia. The 
Empress went personally to the spot of the disasters 
to superintend the measures of relief. Her own heart 
was breaking at the time, but her sense of duty 
triumphed over her grief, and she left her dying husband 
for a few hours to go in his name to comfort other 
suffering beings. 

I have before me now a letter written by the 
Empress Victoria during that dreadful time : — 

" I thank you for your kind interest. It is dear 
to me, like everything that comes from friendly hearts 
is dear. I won't tell you anything about myself, 
leaving you to guess everything. The Emperor 
is feeling slightly better. I cannot say anything else. 
Thank Heaven he suffers less. May he soon suffer 
no more ! If only he could get some of that rest 
he needs so much he would be better, but he works 
too much, and complains that he can't do more. May 
the will of the Lord be done ! I pray to Him to make 
me resigned, also my poor invalid. He is sublime in 
his patience, and his one wish is to do all the good he 
can during the little time that is still left to him. 

"I do not ask you to think about us, or to pray 
for us ; I know that you are doing it, and I am grate- 
ful to you. When one falls from so high as I have 
fallen, one's friends are particularly dear to one. Some- 
times it seems to me as if all this agony is nothing 
but a dream from which I must awake ; and then 
anguish seizes me again, and I realise my misfortune 
in all its depth. And when one thinks that I belong to 

214 



Death of Emperor Frederick 

the number of those who are called the happy ones 
of this earth ! If only all the people who envy me 
— or, rather, who have envied me — could only guess 
how often the great ones of this world have to suffer 
for the high position which is theirs, they would not 
be in such a hurry to judge or to condemn them. We 
have even to endure the pain of not being able to talk 
about our sufferings, and at all costs we must fall 
and die like kings." 

There is nothing to be added to this cry of anguish. 
The Empress was indeed to drink the cup of her sorrow 
to the dregs, but she was also to die as a Queen ; and 
it was as a Queen, too, that she found the strength 
to close the eyes of the husband whom she had loved 
with such devotion. She laid on his breast the laurel 
wreath which she had brought to him when she went 
to meet him after the triumph of Sedan. Then she 
put his sword, that valiant sword which he had only 
handled gloriously, in his fingers, already stiffened 
by death, and said a long good-bye to him. 

Two years elapsed after the death of the Emperor 
Frederick before I saw his widow once more. It was 
in Berlin, and she received me in her blue drawing- 
room. The furniture had not been changed, and the 
portrait of the Emperor in his white cuirassier 
uniform, painted by Angeli, was hanging in the 
place of honour. 

When the Empress entered the room I could only 
kiss her hand and weep. Her hair had grown quite 
white, but the face was the same that I had always 
known, and the eyes had kept their old expression. 

215 



Memories of Forty Years 

After that day I saw the Empress almost every 
year, either in Berlin or in Frankfurt, and for the last 
time at Bordighera, a few months before her death. 
Every time I met her I found her quieter, more serene 
and resigned, though during the last years of her life 
she took more interest in current events, and talked, 
moreover, with something like her former animation. 

About two years before her death she became 
reconciled with her son, the Emperor William. Her 
animosity against Prince Bismarck had also lost its 
former sharpness, and I think that she had even pitied 
him at the time of his disgrace. She never lost her 
clear outlook on the political horizon of the moment, 
but she spoke but seldom on this dangerous subject. 
Her relations with her mother, which for a long time 
had been rather cold, became tender and affectionate 
after her widowhood had brought her closer to Queen 
Victoria, whose death was the last great sorrow of her 
daughter. 

The death of the Empress Victoria was painful in the 
extreme. The cancer tormented her for months ; and 
in her pain she would murmur : " The Emperor did 
not complain. I am not so brave as he was ! " 

She died as a Queen should do. Her life had been 
the " profession of faith " mentioned by Guizot ; and 
whenever I read in the Holy Scripture the words '" Where 
dost thou find a valiant woman ? " I think at once of 
Victoria, Empress of Germany and Queen of Prussia. 



216 



PART III 
Memories of Russia 



T 



CHAPTER I 

ALEXANDER III. AND HIS CONSORT 

HE first time I saw Alexander III. was at the 



time of his marriage, when he rode on horse- 
back beside the gilded coach in which his future wife* 
the Princess Dagmar of Denmark, made her State 
entry into St. Petersburg, seated beside the Empress 
Marie Alexandrovna. 

I was a very little girl at that time, scarcely eight 
years old ; but whenever I close my eyes I can see 
quite vividly all the pomp of this grand procession as 
it swept along the wide Nevski Prospekt, and I re- 
member quite well the figure of the then Heir to 
the Throne on a handsome bay horse, riding a little 
behind his father, and the smiling gracious counten- 
ance of the Imperial bride as she timidly, but so 
sweetly, bowed her pretty, small head in response to 
the acclamations of the crowd that filled the streets 
to greet her. 

Years went on, and then once more I saw the 
Grand Duchess, now the Dowager Empress of Russia, 
one autumn morning on a platform erected on the 
Izmailovsky Square in St. Petersburg, with other 
members of the Imperial family waiting to welcome 
back the Russian troops from the battlefields of Turkey 
after the war of 1877. She had become a beautiful 

219 



Memories of Forty Years 

woman, the embodiment of health, life, and happiness, 
the beloved of all, worshipped by her husband and 
her children, and entirely fascinating. 

Her popularity was already considerable, even at 
that time, when the cares and weight of Imperial power 
had not yet fallen upon her, and one had begun, even 
at that distant epoch, to look up to her and to seek 
her protection and her favour. Those who had had 
the honour of knowing her intimately were loud in 
their praises of her intelligence and judgment, her 
great sense of honour, her good heart and exquisite 
kindness. When she became Empress the same 
qualities were always present, and to this day she 
has remained the same. 

At that time I had not yet been presented to Marie 
Feodorovna, and it was only in 1881, a few months 
after the tragic death of Alexander II., I had that 
honour. I then saw for the first time quite closely 
her magnificent dark eyes and her inimitable smile. 
I saw her again, very soon after that in Moscow, at 
the time of her coronation. And when a few years 
later, with my first husband, I settled entirely in St. 
Petersburg, I had often opportunity of approaching 
her, and also of hearing a great deal about her from 
several intimate friends of hers, with whom I was also 
on affectionate terms. They were never chary of 
praising her rare qualities of mind and heart, and her 
beauty of soul. 

The Emperor was an imposing figure. As years 
go on his personality becomes clearer and clearer as 
it emerges from the nebulous atmosphere that sur- 
rounded his lifetime, owing to his love of solitude and 

220 



Personality of Alexander III. 

his reluctance to show himself in public. It is only 
recently that the world has recognised him as a states- 
man of great merit, supreme ability, and keen per- 
ception of the needs of his country and of his people. 

No one had given a thought to the possibility of 
his ever ascending the throne, and consequently his 
training had not been in that direction; but he was 
sincere in the great, deep, powerful love he bore for 
the land of his birth. 

The Emperor disliked society, and even when quite 
a young man preferred his own fireside to outside 
amusements. He detested everything which savoured 
of pomp and magnificence, and cared in reality only 
for his wife and children. Timid by nature, he was 
painfully conscious of his inexperience of public affairs 
when he ascended the throne. But from the first 
day that the burden of the State fell upon his shoulders 
he applied himself to the study of the different problems 
of the administration and government of his great 
country, and tried to surround himself only with honest 
and trustworthy people. He succeeded in doing so, 
and that is one of the greatest praises that can be 
bestowed on him, as well as on his reign. If ever a 
Sovereign deserved the name of Father of his people, 
it was Alexander III. 

Alexander III. was Russian in the strictest sense, 
and very different on that point from his father, who 
affected Occidental culture. He did not care to use 
any other language than Russian, and it was owing 
to his influence that smart society, which up to that 
time had always spoken French, began to use the 
national idiom. 

221 



Memories of Forty Years 

The Emperor was a sincere child of the Orthodox 
Church, and the aim which he pursued during the 
thirteen years that he occupied the throne was to 
make Russia a strong and powerful nation, respected 
in Europe and throughout the world. 

He has been credited with an intense dislike for 
Germany ; but it is doubtful whether he would ever 
have consented to protect an anti-German agita- 
tion. He had no sympathy whatever with the policy 
pursued by Prince Bismarck; but Bismarck himself he 
respected in the same way as he respected everything 
that he thought was great and sincere. He had accepted 
the French alliance, not so much out of personal sym- 
pathies, as because he deemed it necessary for the 
maintenance of European equilibrium, which, he feared, 
might become endangered by the Triple Alliance. 
His amiability towards France proceeded more from 
this reason than from anything else. By no means a 
brilliant man, he possessed what is sometimes infinitely 
better — an extraordinary amount of common sense, 
that invariably dictated to him the best course to pursue 
in regard to the interests of his country. He had 
found Russia more or less in a state of chaos and con- 
fusion, and he left it to his son in a condition of un- 
precedented prosperity. 

With his sudden removal from the scene of European 
politics, one of its most important factors disappeared, 
and Russia lost — for a time at least — a certain amount 
of her prestige abroad. Conscientious, straightforward, 
honest, and kind, Alexander III. had known how to 
ally firmness with kindness, and he had far more 
generosity and broadness in his views, as well as in 

222 



A Loved and Respected Monarch 

his character, than the public had ever known or 
guessed. 

I have known intimately several ministers and 
statesmen who had had the honour to discuss with 
the Emperor some of the most important and serious 
questions of foreign as well as of home politics. They 
have all told me the same thing; that all his judg- 
ments were remarkable for a singular spirit of im- 
partiality and justice such as is most rarely met with 
in a Sovereign whose high position removes him more 
or less from contact with the realities of life. His 
mind was so thoroughly honest that he seldom made 
mistakes, and whenever such a thing happened he was 
the first to recognise it, and to acknowledge any error 
into which circumstances had caused him to fall. He 
sometimes exhibited prejudices, but these had always 
some sound reason behind them, and did not proceed 
from fancy. He allowed others to tell him the truth, 
and did not get angry when contradicted, nor did he 
harbour any grudge against those who differed in 
opinion from him. One feared him considerably, but 
one loved him, and one respected him as perhaps few 
monarchs have ever been respected, because everyone, 
even his most active foes, was aware that he cared 
above everything else for truth, justice, and honesty. 
His life was that of a just man. His death was 
touching in its resignation. 

This Emperor, whose clear blue eyes were so kind 
and soft, had the happiness of his wife's help in his 
heavy task. Her smile lightened up with its beauty 
the whole of his reign, and brought to it a halo of 
grace and joy. Amidst the cares inseparable from his 

223 



Memories of Forty Years 

high position, he found at his own fireside the comfort 
and encouragement of a devoted affection, a deep 
tenderness, and an absolute sympathy which knew 
how to associate itself with his responsibilities and 
to help him carry them. 

When I ponder over the events of the years when 
Alexander III. presided over the destinies of Russia, 
the slight figure of the Empress Marie seems to pre- 
side over that whole epoch ; and again I see her soft 
looks and her large, dark eyes, which, every time 
they met those of her husband, brightened up with 
an infinite tenderness. Placed in a position where 
her every action was criticised, Marie Feodorovna 
knew how to disarm every critic. To see her only 
from the distance was considered a happiness ; and 
whenever she entered a room and bowed to the people 
assembled, she used to do so in a manner that was 
so exclusively her own, so entirely different from the 
usual salutation of other Sovereigns, that each indi- 
vidual present could easily believe that she was re- 
cognised by the Empress, and was the object of her 
special welcome. 

The Empress was not only amiable by nature, but 
she tried to show herself so. She knew that she was 
liked, and she rejoiced in the feelings that she in- 
spired. It was interesting, whenever young girls 
were presented to her upon their entering society, 
to notice the kindness with which she greeted them. 
She always sought to put them at their ease, and 
to manifest her desire that they should enjoy them- 
selves at the balls it pleased her to give for them. 
No mother could have been more tender than she 

224 





s 

w 

Q 
< 

w 

o 
w 

Oh 



Marie Feodorovna in Society 

showed herself upon these occasions. And for it the 
girls worshipped the Empress ever afterwards. 

Marie Feodorovna liked society, and was fond of 
dancing and of dress, but though the most elegant 
woman in her Empire, she was very far from being 
frivolous in her tastes, as some people have accused 
her. She understood in its highest sense the mean- 
ing of her duties and of her mission as a Sovereign. 
From the height of the throne upon which the affection 
of her husband had raised her she gave the most touch- 
ing example of conjugal devotion and of love for her 
people. She understood the requirements of her ex- 
alted station down to their smallest details ; and if 
she liked balls, receptions, and gaiety of every kind, 
it was partly because she knew that they were on the 
programme of the existence of every Sovereign, who 
ought to lead in the amusements of select society. 

Whilst never faltering in the attention that she 
gave to the numerous charitable establishments or the 
educational institutions placed under her patronage, 
she watched over the manners and morals of smart 
society, and gave to it in her own person the example 
of all the virtues. She contrived to raise the moral 
standard of the capital and to give to St. Petersburg 
society a dignity of conduct that excluded vulgarity as 
well as coarseness of language, and made the Russian 
capital one of the pleasantest and most enjoyable in 
Europe. Everyone looked up to her, and tried to 
deserve her friendship, and, as it was very well known 
that she awarded it only to those who deserved it, one 
tried to become worthy of it ; society strove to find 
its happiness in the fulfilment of its duties. 

p 225 



Memories of Forty Years 

Under her patronage the Court of St. Petersburg 
was most brilliant, and at the same time innocent 
amusements remained the order of the day. The 
Empress liked society and all that it offered of pleasant 
and merry enjoyments. She was fond of dancing for 
the pleasure that she found in it ; of dress, because 
she thought with reason that a woman ought to try 
and look nice if only in order to satisfy her husband's 
pride in her. She used herself to wear most elegant 
clothes, but whilst appearing with all the magnificence 
inherent to her exalted rank when it was necessary 
for her to do so, no one was more simple in her every- 
day apparel, neither did she ever make mistakes of 
taste, always wearing the right gown in the right 
surroundings. Under her auspices a luxury devoid 
of exaggeration prevailed, and if society danced often, 
it knew also how to cultivate intelligent conversa- 
tion, and to discuss the events of the day. Marie 
Feodorovna's mind did not dread the remarks of others, 
and she favoured the interchange of opinions among 
her subjects. She was afraid of nothing, being so 
entirely secure in the love that she had known how 
to inspire in her people. 

The children of the Imperial couple were worthy 
of the hope that their parents, as well as the whole 
nation, had placed in them. 

At that distant time of which I am writing, the 
present Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II., promised to 
become worthy of his august father and mother, and 
to justify all the expectations that were entwined 
around his person. His brother, the Grand Duke 
George Alexandrovitch, was not living in St. Petersburg 

226 



The Happy Imperial Family 

on account of his health ; the Grand Duchess Olga, 
now married to Prince Peter of Oldenburg, was still 
a child, almost in arms, and the young Grand 
Duchess Xenia, whose large eyes were so much like 
those of her Imperial mother, was only beginning to 
go out into society, and promised already to become 
the exquisite woman she is to-day. When one looked 
at this happy family, so united, so worthy of all the 
prosperities this earth can give, one could not foresee 
that their happiness was destined to be so quickly 
torn to pieces by the premature death of its head, 
whose existence was so indispensable to the welfare 
of the great Russian Empire. 



227 



CHAPTER II 

THE IMPERIAL FAMILY 

WHEN Alexander III. ascended the throne, the 
Imperial Family was much more numerous 
than is the case at the present day. The Romanoffs, 
though a strong and powerful race, are not long- 
lived ; they seldom reach the age of sixty. At the 
period of which I write, some thirty years ago, 
the brothers and the cousins of the Emperor were 
enjoying excellent health, and they could often be 
met in the houses of the different members of Court 
society, at entertainments which they liked to attend, 
and where they were always welcome. 

The Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovitch, the 
younger brother of the Sovereign, was a splendid 
type of man, a really grand seigneur, in the French 
acceptation of that word, extremely cultured, with a 
keen intelligence, perfect taste, and a very wide 
knowledge of art and artistic questions. Whenever he 
visited Paris — which was almost every spring and 
autumn — he liked to go over its museums and curio- 
sities, and I remember that once, in the course of 
conversation, M. George Cain, the distinguished Con- 
servator of the Carnavalet Museum, and the man who 
has made the closest study of old Paris such as it was 
a century or two ago, told me that there was one person 

228 



Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna 

who knew it quite as well, if not better than he did, 
and that was the Grand Duke Vladimir, who had also 
studied the history of ancient Lutece, who cared for 
each of its stones, and who was perfectly aware of 
the legends attached to every one of its monuments, 
as well as of the historical associations that were 
entwined around it. 

The Grand Duke's Consort, the Grand Duchess 
Marie Pavlovna, exercised during her youth a con- 
siderable influence over St. Petersburg society, an influ- 
ence which is still very important, especially in certain 
circles and among certain people. She was a beautiful, 
graceful Princess, gifted with singular qualities, and 
who could produce only the most favourable impression 
upon all those with whom she came into contact. She 
was a truly great lady in her manners, and she has 
remained in her old age a type of the Grand Duchesses 
of former times, such as the traditions of the eighteenth 
century represent them to us. Her personality has 
been freely discussed, but all that I can say about 
her is that she has always shown herself a superior 
woman in all the different incidents of her life. 

The second brother of the Emperor, the Grand 
Duke Alexis, was an exceedingly pleasant man, and 
his entertaining conversation was vastly appreciated 
by his friends. He was a great favourite in society, 
but did not frequent it much, preferring the com- 
pany of a small set, with whom he felt perfectly at 
his ease. 

The Grand Duke Serge was among all the sons of 
Alexander II. the one who resembled him the most, 
and by a sad coincidence his life ended in the same 

229 






Memories of Forty Years 

tragic manner as that of his father. He was an in- 
telligent man, very cultivated and well read, who had 
had the fortune to win for his wife a woman gifted 
with the rarest qualities of heart and soul, whose life 
was but one long sacrifice to the welfare of her neigh- 
bour and the relief of suffering humanity. Long before 
she buried her youth and her beauty under the heavy 
veil of the nun, after the catastrophe that had widowed 
her, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth had already shown 
herself the guardian angel of the unfortunate and 
afflicted. In Moscow she was revered as a saint from 
the very first moment that she came to live there ; in 
her family circle one felt for her that admiration and 
that deep reverence which exceptional beings alone 
can inspire. 

I remember her immediately after her marriage, 
when she appeared on the horizon of St. Petersburg 
society in all the splendour of her truly marvellous 
beauty and of her brilliant youth, and I do not think 
that a brighter vision ever graced a room than that 
of this lovely Princess when she entered an apart- 
ment slightly behind the Empress, or followed the 
latter during a Court festivity. Among all the remem- 
brances of my youth, one of the liveliest that has 
remained engraved upon my mind is a quadrille danced 
at one of the balls in the Winter Palace. In it Marie 
Feodorovna was surrounded by her three sisters-in- 
law, the Grand Duchesses Marie Pavlovna, Elizabeth 
Feodorovna, and Alexandra Georgievna, the young 
wife of the Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovitch, so soon 
to be snatched away by death. These four lovely 
women, in the splendour of their festive attire and of 

230 



Grand Duchess Alexandra 

their sparkling jewels, made one of those sights that 
one likes to evoke in after life. 

The Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna was 
the daughter of the late King George of Greece and 
of that noble Queen Olga, whose gentle, kind personality 
has done so much to consolidate and render popular 
the Danish dynasty on the Greek Throne. Her mar- 
riage with the Grand Duke Paul had been a source of 
great delight to the whole of the Imperial Family, 
who had welcomed with the utmost pleasure the 
arrival in its midst of the young Greek Princess. In- 
telligent, charming, bright, she conquered all hearts 
from the first moment she appeared in Russia, and 
it is quite certain that she would have had quite an 
exceptional position in St. Petersburg society if death 
had not brutally destroyed all the hopes centred in 
her, and carried away that young and useful life. The 
Grand Duke Paul lives now almost the whole year 
abroad ; the daughter of Alexandra Georgievna has 
also left Russia for a time, and, except a marble tomb 
in the fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul, there is nothing 
left in St. Petersburg to remind one of the sweet, 
graceful being who contrived to do so much good and 
to win for herself so many friends during her short 
life. 

The uncles of the Emperor were still alive when I 
settled in Russia. I scarcely knew them, having only 
been presented to the Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaie- 
vitch during one of the latter's journeys to Berlin, 
and to the Grand Duke Constantine Nicolaievitch 
one evening at a small reception given by his wife, 
the Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna, who showed 

231 



Memories of Forty Years 

me always much kindness on account of my mother, 
of whom she had been extremely fond. As for the 
Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievitch, I often met him, 
though he rarely spoke to me otherwise than to say 
good morning ; but I had the honour to be some- 
times received by his wife, the Grand Duchess Olga 
Feodorovna, a Princess of Baden by birth, and a 
very cultured woman. Among the Grand Duchesses 
she was the one that knew best how to receive the 
guests she invited to her house, and who did so in 
the kindest manner, without, however, falling into 
any unnecessary familiarity. She was extremely well 
learned and read, was fond of art and literature, keep- 
ing herself admirably informed as to new books worth 
reading. Owing to this habit she was better aware 
than most people in Russia of the state of public 
opinion at home or abroad. She held the opinion that, 
life being short, it was useless to waste any part of 
it in talking with people who were not worthy of 
attention. She was a woman of strong character and 
exceptional qualities, and her relatively premature 
death constituted an enormous loss for her family as 
well as for the cultured circle of St. Petersburg society. 

All the children of the Grand Duchess Olga became 
distinguished men. The literary and historical works 
of her eldest son, the Grand Duke Nicholas Michailo- 
vitch, would have assured him a considerable place 
among the savants of his generation, even if he had 
been a private person instead of a member of a reign- 
ing house. The activity displayed by the Grand 
Duke Alexander Michailovitch, the husband of the 
present Emperor's sister, the Grand Duchess Xenia, 

232 



A Royal Playwright 

in the cause of aviation, which he has zealously pro- 
pagated in Russia, is well known everywhere. All 
these Princes have tried to make themselves useful to 
their country. I have mentioned the Grand Duke 
Constantine Nicolaievitch. His son, the Grand Duke 
Constantine Constantinovitch, is also an example of 
the fact that students and authors can be found on 
the steps of a throne. The poetical works of that 
Prince will give him a lasting place in Russian litera- 
ture, and he did more than anyone else to develop 
among high-born society in St. Petersburg a taste for 
all things that belong to the domain of art and science. 
He encouraged private theatricals, where exclusively 
Russian dramas and comedies were enacted, such as 
the works of Count Alexis Tolstoy, the cousin of Count 
Leo, and others in the same style. 

Last winter the Grand Duke's own tragedy, The 
King of the Jews, which treated of Christ's passion 
and death, was represented, by special permission of 
the Emperor, on the stage of the Imperial Theatre, 
where it obtained considerable success, being most 
impressively acted and written in flowing lyric verses 
that deeply moved the audience. The staging of this 
tragedy caused quite a mild stir and sensation in 
St. Petersburg society, as the Holy Synod objected to 
its being authorised on the ground that it was not 
reverential to discuss the incidents attending the 
sacred death in a theatrical production ; they upheld 
this attitude despite the deep religious atmosphere 
that pervaded the whole work. However, the Emperor 
overruled the prejudices of the clergy, and gave his 
own theatre to his cousin, with the sole condition that 

233 



Memories of Forty Years 

the invitations should be limited to a certain circle 
of people, and the general public not allowed in. The 
Grand Duke, however, with the truly liberal spirit of 
which he has always given proof, sent out invitations 
to the representatives of the Russian as well as of 
the foreign press, and for the first time these found 
themselves admitted as honoured guests in the Imperial 
Palace, and in the theatre which the great Catherine 
herself had caused to be built for the entertainment 
of her Court. 

The Grand Duke Constantine married a Princess 
of Saxe-Altenburg, a lady of high culture and attain- 
ments, and the couple led a most affectionate life, 
surrounded by their numerous children, the eldest of 
whom has married the Princess Helene of Servia, the 
daughter of the present King. 

Alexander III. had also a distant aunt, the Grand 
Duchess Catherine Michailovna, the daughter of the 
famous Grand Duchess Helene Pavlovna, whose salon 
exercised such a considerable influence during the early 
years of the reign of the Emperor Alexander II. The 
Grand Duchess Catherine only died in 1894, a few 
months before the father of the present Tsar, and I 
knew her very well, having sometimes been invited to 
dinner, as well as to the small receptions which she 
was very fond of giving. She was kind and charitable, 
and an excellent Princess — a great lady with dignified 
manners, who liked society and was fond of entertain- 
ing. She used to give her attention to numerous 
charitable institutions, whilst trying her best to keep 
up the old traditions which she had inherited from 
her parents. 

234 



Countess Zeneide Beauharnais 

The Leuchtenberg Princes, sons of the Grand 
Duchess Marie Nicolaievna, the sister of Alexander II., 
were always treated like Grand Dukes, and bore also 
the title of Imperial Highness. The daughters also were 
given equal rank. Duke Eugene had married a dis- 
tant cousin of mine, Mile. Skobeleff, the sister of the 
famous general of that name. She was first known 
after her marriage as Countess Beauharnais, but later 
on created Duchess of Leuchtenberg by Alexander III., 
who was always very fond of her. I have seen many 
pretty women in the course of my already long life, but 
I have never met such a radiant creature as Zeneide 
Beauharnais, or Zina, as her family called her. This 
word " radiant " is the only one that can describe 
her properly ; there was in her whole being something 
so unusual, that whenever she entered a room she 
eclipsed all others by the incomparable charm that 
emanated from her person ; even those who reviled 
her most unsparingly envied her most sincerely, and 
were forced to acknowledge her superlative attractive- 
ness. 

To all the physical and intellectual gifts that dis- 
tinguished her, Zeneide Beauharnais added a sincere 
kindness of nature. One never heard her say an un- 
kind thing or make a nasty remark, or echo ill-natured 
gossip. She was criticised unsparingly among the 
people whom her beauty and success displeased, but 
she never noticed it, and used to go on her way serene 
and unconscious of the evil of a world that she always 
tried to view through rosy spectacles. Unhappily, she 
died while still quite young. Her husband followed 
her very soon to the grave, and of all the Leuchtenberg 

235 



Memories of Forty Years 

family there remains alive but one member, the Princess 
Eugenie of Oldenburg, also a distinguished woman, 
and deserving more than passing notice. She was 
the most admirable hostess St. Petersburg has ever 
seen. Her husband, Prince Alexander of Oldenburg, 
also has consecrated all his activity, as his father, 
Prince Peter, had done before him, to philanthropic 
deeds, and Russia owes him a great deal in that respect. 
He is president of several schools and of the Institute 
of Experimental Medicine, and is himself a man of 
high learning and erudition. 

In relating these incidents and expressing these 
views of the Russian Imperial Family, I hope to 
banish prejudices that exist concerning it. It is false 
to represent our Grand Dukes as riotous people, who 
only care for their personal amusements. The truth 
is that among the members of our reigning house 
there are to be found a considerable number of dis- 
tinguished men and women who lead useful, busy 
lives, devoid of aimlessness, and whose ambitions are 
directed towards noble ends and the fulfilment of the 
duties of their high station. In that respect the 
Romanoffs can serve as an example to many other 
dynasties. 



236 



CHAPTER III 

SOME OF THE EMPEROR'S MINISTERS 

ALEXANDER III. did not like to see new faces 
^ around him. He seldom parted from any of 
his advisers, and during the thirteen years of his reign 
Count Nicholas Ignatieff was about the only one he 
dismissed with any approach to haste. 

Count Ignatieff was called by the Emperor to the 
responsible post of Minister of the Interior a few 
weeks after the Sovereign's accession. He was very 
popular among the old Russian Conservative party, 
over whom he had retained great influence, notwith- 
standing the disappointments that had followed upon 
the war with Turkey in 1877 and the Berlin Congress. 
During the whole time of his sojourn at Constantinople 
Russian prestige was high in the Near East, and the 
Treaty of San Stefano, as originally drawn up by 
him previous to its revision by the Great Powers, 
had thoroughly satisfied the pride of the Russian 
nation. The Emperor, whilst still Heir Apparent to 
the Crown, had followed Count Ignatieff' s political 
career with great attention, and when he offered him 
the portfolio of the Interior — the most difficult post 
in the whole Empire — he did so with the idea that 
he would find in him a faithful and obedient servant, 

237 



Memories of Forty Years 

who would submit blindly to the orders of his Imperial 
master. 

Unfortunately, the personal character of each of 
the two men was so entirely different that the impossi- 
bility of their working together soon became very 
evident. The Emperor was of a particularly frank 
and straight disposition, and his strong, loyal, earnest 
nature refused to admit the possibility of even the 
slightest compromise in questions where his principles 
were concerned. Ignatieff, however, had lived far too 
long in the East not to have become imbued to a 
certain degree with the conviction that, provided one 
reached the goal in view, that fact justified whatever 
means were employed. He fully realised the aspira- 
tions of a certain part of the Russian nation to in- 
augurate a system of government akin to that practised 
in other European countries, and he imagined that it 
would be possible by means of certain concessions to 
provide it with a semblance of constitution that would 
mean little beyond empty words. Alexander III. re- 
fused to accept such a compromise ; he considered it 
to be beneath his dignity as a Sovereign and his self- 
respect as a man. 

Under these conditions a rupture was inevitable, 
and, indeed, had been long forseen by those who knew 
the Emperor and his adviser : Count Ignatieff had to 
resign his post. Russia required at this period of its 
history the rule of a firm hand, and it is to the honour 
of the Monarch that his love for his country, in alliance 
with his clear common sense, showed to him at once 
and without hesitation the right road to take. He 
knew and understood his people ; he realised what 

238 



Count Ignatieft's Foresight 

they required, and how they wanted to be led ; he 
also saw that, above all, the nation wanted to know 
the path by which it was being led toward greatness 
and prosperity. 

I was very fond of Count Ignatieff, not only because 
I was related to him, but also by reason of his good 
qualities. He was a very remarkable and singular 
personage, and a great patriot, even when he happened 
to be mistaken in his points of view or in his actions. 
His views on politics were very clear and of a very 
high order, and it is quite certain that if he had been 
listened to in 1877, the Russian Army would have 
entered Constantinople, and obliged Europe to accept 
the fact. It is also impossible to deny that the Treaty 
of San Stefano, such as he had drawn it, would have 
ensured later on a more permanent peace in the 
Balkans than did the Berlin Congress, of which the 
only tangible result was to procure unhoped-for advan- 
tages to Austria as well as to England. 

When he retired from public life, Count Ignatieff 
spent each winter in St. Petersburg, and for a con- 
siderable number of years was President of the Slavonic 
Society, where his influence was exercised in favour of 
Russian influence in the Balkans. He died a few years 
ago at a very advanced age. 

His successor as Minister of the Interior, Count 
Dmitry Tolstoy, was a very different character, and 
belonged to that order of statesmen who, certain of 
their own power, go through public life without look- 
ing back, and without the slightest misgiving as to 
the advisability of the course they have embarked 
upon. He was exactly the man that an autocrat 

239 



Memories of Forty Years 

such as Alexander III. required, and he became one 
of his most valued colleagues. Count Tolstoy was 
often accused of following an out-of-date policy. This 
reproach was not fair, because, under his administra- 
tion, the country not only recuperated itself after 
the wounds inflicted upon it by the Turkish war and 
the subsequent Nihilist agitation, but, moreover, entered 
upon an era of prosperity such as it had not known 
since the Crimean campaign. The serene peacefulness 
that prevailed throughout Russia at the time of his 
death constituted the greatest praise of his states- 
manship. 

M. Dournovo, one of his subordinates, succeeded 
Count Tolstoy, and in his turn was succeeded by 
M. Goremykin, who to-day occupies the responsible 
post of Prime Minister. It is the general opinion 
of those most able to form a judgment concerning 
him that M. Goremykin is one of the greatest 
intelligences in Russia. One of my greatest friends, 
General Tcherevine, used always to say that it would 
be a happy day for Russia when M. Goremykin 
became head of its government. He is one of the 
very few men upon whose private or political life no 
breath of suspicion has ever rested. A devoted servant 
of his Sovereign, a faithful citizen of his country, he 
is at the same time one of the most enlightened minds 
in his generation, blameless as a man, and above 
reproach as a statesman. 

One of the first cares of Alexander III. when he 
ascended the throne was to put the finances of his 
empire on a strong and healthy footing. In that 
respect, too, he succeeded in finding some intelligent 

240 



M. Wischnegradsky and Finance 

collaborators, and most certainly it is to his efforts 
in that direction that Russia owes her actual immense 
material prosperity. Under the direction of Alex- 
ander IJI., M. Wischnegradsky at first, and Count 
Witte later on, gave a new impulse to the industry, 
as well as to the financial affairs of the country. 

M. Wischnegradsky was one of my best friends. 
This reason prevents me from saying all that I would 
like concerning him, and his death was a sincere 
and lasting sorrow to me. He was a man gifted with 
a rare intelligence and with a most marvellous capacity 
for working ; it was, indeed, entirely due to over- 
work that he contracted the illness which finally 
resulted in his relatively early death. He entertained 
a touching affection and devotion for the person of 
the Emperor. A letter which he wrote to me at the 
time when the state of his health obliged him to retire 
from public life so vividly portrays how faithful a 
servant the Crown lost in him, that I am impelled to 
quote one of its passages : 

"As to myself personally," he wrote, " I have not 
been very lucky this year. With the exception of 
the five weeks which I spent in the Crimea, I have 
had cold and rainy weather everywhere, and this pre- 
vented my health so from improving that it is still 
in a very precarious condition, requiring much care 
and considerable quiet, undisturbed by worries or 
responsibilities. Of course, I had to explain all this 
quite frankly and sincerely, and I have had the immense 
happiness to find that my explanations have been 
received with a kindness and cordiality I had hardly a 
right to expect. These feelings concerning myself have 

Q 24i 



Memories of Forty Years 

been expressed in most gracious and cordial words, 
which have entirely relieved my mind and filled my 
heart with unbounded gratitude, especially because in 
conveying them to me it has been hinted that I could 
still hope in the future to be useful to my country 
without tiring myself to the extent that was necessary 
to fill properly the functions hitherto entrusted to me. 

" This has quite reinstated the serenity of my mind 
— so imperative to my recovery — and I feel myself 
already considerably better. Pray excuse me, my 
dearest of friends, if I worry you so much with details 
that concern me personally, but you have always 
shown such interest in my career that I feel sure it 
will not bore you too much to read this letter. I 
am satisfied that you will experience considerable 
pleasure in learning that I feel quite satisfied as to 
my health, and that everything that has taken place 
has not only given me great satisfaction, but has 
even gone far beyond what I could hope or expect." 

I have copied this letter without suppressing any 
essential part because it conveys an idea of the kind- 
ness with which Alexander III. treated all who were 
associated with him in governing the country, as well 
as the affection and devotion which he inspired in them 
for his own person. 

M. Wischnegradsky was succeeded as Minister of 
Finance by a personage who has played a much more 
considerable part in the world, and whose signature 
figures at the bottom of a document, about which 
Russia can only think with deep and lasting sorrow. 
1 mean the Treaty of Portsmouth. Apart from this, 
Count Witte will occupy a most important place in the 

242 



Witte on Political Progress 

history of modern Russia on account of the many 
important political measures with which he has been 
associated, not the least being the promulgation of 
the Imperial Manifesto of October 17th, 1905. He is 
a man with enthusiastic friends and passionate enemies, 
and who has ever distinguished himself by a grand 
indifference to the opinions of others concerning him- 
self. His views are those of a really great statesman, 
capable of making mistakes but not of acting stupidly. 
In opinions he is pertinacious, in intentions persevering, 
and in actions free from meanness. 

There was a time when I used to see him often. 
One day, when he called, we talked upon general 
subjects, and he expressed the following remarkable 
opinion, which I have never forgotten : 

" Every statesman goes through four different 
phases in his public life. During the first he is hated 
by everybody ; in the second he excites surprise ; ad- 
miration for him begins in the third stage ; but when 
the fourth arrives he meets with servility wherever he 
goes. I am talking here, of course, only of a states- 
man who has contrived not only to reach the summit 
of his ambitions, but also succeeded in maintaining 
himself there. As concerns myself, I am just passing 
out of the first into the second of these phases, and 
it is the most difficult one, because the remaining two 
follow quite naturally. At the present moment all the 
other ministers are my adversaries, because they do 
not understand that Russia requires to be governed 
in a truly Russian sense. It is for that reason that 
a former Minister of Finance, M. Bunge, told me in 
the Council of State that he would always oppose 

243 



Memories of Forty Years 

anything which I might propose, because he believed 
all my plans tended towards the destruction of 
what had been accomplished during the former reign ; 
to this I replied that we ought only to be concerned 
with the present." 

It must not be forgotten that this conversation 
took place at the beginning of the year 1894, when 
Alexander III. was still on the throne. 

At that distant period the plans of Count, then 
M., Witte and his intentions were imbued with an even 
greater leaning towards autocracy and despotism than 
those of M. Pobedonostseff himself. His great am- 
bition and desire was to re-establish corporal punish- 
ment, to limit the authority of the Courts of Law by 
making them entirely subservient to instruction from 
the Sovereign, and in general to govern the country 
with an iron hand divested of a velvet glove. When 
one day I remarked to him that, after all, a revolution 
was nevertheless as possible in Russia as much as in 
any other country, he replied to me in a most decided 
manner that he personally did not believe at all in 
such a possibility, because the nation would never 
dare to carry its discontent and its desire for a change 
of government to such lengths. He then expressed 
the views which he held at that time concerning 
the administration of the finances, at the head of 
which he had been appointed. His words were : 

" A Minister cannot practise economy in the admin- 
istration of a State ; money can only be found by 
spending it lavishly. One must open wide credits to 
private people in order to give them the possibility 
of meeting moments of crisis, such as occur in every 

244 



Wise Clemency 

life. But so far as the peasants and rural classes are 
concerned, before everything else they must have 
knocked out of their heads the idea that in general 
they have something to claim. I am quite willing 
not to insist on their paying the arrears of taxes which 
I know they will never be able to meet, but I do not 
wish them to reckon upon the fact as a right. I should 
always wait before making concessions for some extra- 
ordinary event, such as, for instance, would be the 
marriage of the Heir to the Throne." 

This insight into the state of mind of the Russian 
peasants shows that Count Witte knew his country 
admirably well, because one of the principal causes of 
all the disorders that have ever taken place in Russia 
has been the absurd idea that has prevailed among 
the rural classes ever since the emancipation of the 
serfs, that the Sovereign was going to take away land 
from its former owners in order to present it to the 
peasantry. Every statesman was more or less aware 
of this peculiarity, and having also some experience 
of the activities of agitators who tried to persuade 
the peasants to claim the land, was therefore obliged 
to struggle against this foolish idea. 

The Emperor Alexander III. had understood the 
need for combating this superstition better than any- 
one else when, at the time of his coronation in Moscow, 
he made his famous speech to the representatives of 
the peasants then assembled within the walls of the 
White Stone city, as it is still familiarly called. In 
that oration he declared to them that he would always 
protect the principle of private property, no matter 
in whose hands it rested, and that the peasants had 

245 



Memories of Forty Years 

better understand and thoroughly realise that he would 
never dispossess in their favour the present owners 
of the soil. These solemn words did more toward the 
pacification of the public mind in the country than 
anything else would have done, and the Russian nobility 
owe a debt of gratitude to the Emperor Alexander III. 
for having uttered them. 

During the eventful years of 1905 and 1906 I was 
not living in Russia, and therefore cannot add any- 
thing from personal knowledge respecting Count 
Witte during that important epoch in Russian history. 

In mentioning the Ministers and other officials of 
the late Emperor, I find that I have not said anything 
yet concerning M. de Giers, who remained at the head 
of the Foreign Office during the whole time Alexander 
III. was on the throne. M. de Giers was the pupil 
of Prince Gortschakov and a diplomat of the old school 
which still believed in the personal influence of sove- 
reigns in the conduct of the political affairs of the 
world, as well as in that of family alliances. The 
reproach was often levelled at M. de Giers that he was 
lacking in initiative, and it was not an unjust one. 
It is a question, however, whether a Minister with 
personal initiative would have been the right man in 
the right place beside the Emperor Alexander III., 
whose policy was an eminently sound and healthy one, 
entirely Russian, and answering to the requirements 
and the needs of Russia. At this distance of time I 
do not remember who it was said that autocracy 
would be an ideal form of government, provided it 
was being exercised by a clever autocrat without any 
leanings towards tyranny. Whoever may accept this 

246 



Influence of M. Pobedonostseff 

paradox must admit that no autocrat ever understood 
his duties and his mission better than the father of 
our present gracious sovereign, and must also recognise 
the further fact that his administration brought noth- 
ing but prosperity to his subjects. 

Before ending this chapter, I must say a few words 
concerning the famous Procurator of the Holy Synod, 
M. Pobedonostseff, whose powerful personality exer- 
cised such considerable influence during the whole life 
and reign of Alexander III. I numbered him among 
my personal friends, if I can make use of such an 
expression in view of the enormous distance that 
separated a young woman of the age I was at that 
time from the great and mighty statesman that M. 
Pobedonostseff was. He always treated me with in- 
finite kindness and an affability for which I shall always 
feel grateful. M. Pobedonostseff was one of the most 
learned men of his generation and also of Europe : 
the works which he has written are considered as 
classics, and in matters of jurisprudence few people 
have equalled him. What is not so well known abroad, 
where he has been represented as a harsh, cold man, 
is his amiability, his charm of conversation, the shrewd- 
ness and extreme delicacy of his mind, which made 
conversation with him entirely attractive. In spite of 
the extreme rigidity of his principles, he knew better 
than anyone else how to make concessions to circum- 
stances, and was never absolute in his judgments or 
appreciations. He was an ardent patriot and a con- 
vinced adherent of the Orthodox Church, and he 
lived a life always consistent with himself, and with 
the principles of fidelity and loyalty to the throne 

247 



Memories of Forty Years 

that he served during the whole course of his long 
life. 

Standing as it does in history next to the imposing 
figure of Alexander III., the personality of his old 
teacher, who had become his friend and adviser, shines 
with a brilliancy almost equal to that of the Emperor. 
Pobedonostseff lived the life of a just man, and when 
he died he could do so peacefully. In repeating his 
Nunc dimittis he had the consciousness of an accom- 
plished task, undertaken and finished courageously 
without any faintness of heart, fulfilled with affection 
for the country he had loved so well, and for a monarch 
whom he had obeyed and helped with all the experi- 
ence of his earnest, wonderful, and clear intelligence. 



248 



CHAPTER IV 

THE PERSONAL FRIENDS OF THE EMPEROR 

A LEXANDER III. did not give his friendship 
-*jl easily, but, once given, those who found them- 
selves honoured with it knew that they could always 
rely on the kindness of their Sovereign, unless they 
were guilty of some grave error. Among the many 
qualities of the late Emperor were his knowledge of 
men and the accuracy of his judgments concerning 
their character. Of those who helped him in govern- 
ing, not one man proved unworthy of his choice. In 
his immediate entourage only honest people were to 
be found; and among his ministers, whilst some were 
good and some bad, none proved greedy, or capable 
of putting his own interest before that of his Sovereign 
or of his country. The intimate friends of Alexander 
III. were not numerous, but they surrounded him with 
great devotion and absolute disinterestedness. He 
knew how to appreciate such faithfulness, and he gave 
reward not so much in honours and dignities, as invari- 
able kindness of treatment and the confidence which 
he reposed in them. He did not care to see new faces 
around him, and his military household was consider- 
ably reduced in numbers compared with that of his 
predecessor. Thus during the thirteen years he occu- 
pied the throne he only nominated one general aide- 

240 



Memories of Forty Years 

de-camp in constant attendance on himself, and some 
three or four others, selecting men he knew person- 
ally and whom he liked to have near him. 

His greatest friend and most faithful councillor 
was Count Woronzoff Dachkoff, who held the difficult 
post of Minister of the Imperial Household. Long- 
before the accession of Alexander III. he had been 
honoured with his confidence and affection, and at 
the present moment he occupies the responsible position 
of Viceroy of the Caucasus. During the preceding reign 
Count Woronzoff had attained quite an exceptional 
position at Court on account of the great influence 
which he exercised. He had, it is true, many enemies, 
and was the object of jealousy and rivalry on the 
part of all those who desired to supersede him in his 
functions ; but though he was intensely disliked in 
some quarters, he gained the esteem and respect of 
all those with whom he came into contact. He was a 
perfect gentleman and a great nobleman in the fullest 
sense of that word ; had perfect tact, and always 
observed an extreme delicacy in his relations with the 
Imperial Family, as well as with the different members 
of the smart and the official society of St. Petersburg, 
who had constantly to do with him in some matter 
or other. He has been accused of being very personal 
in his likes and dislikes, and of not being at all obliging 
on occasions when it would have been easy for him 
to show himself so ; but when one considers the posi- 
tion in which he found himself placed, one may well 
doubt whether it would have been possible for him 
to satisfy everybody who sought his favour or help. 

Count Woronzoff is a man of high intelligence, of 

250 



Intimate Friends of Alexander III. 

which he has given convincing proof in the different 
difficult posts which he has filled with honour and 
distinction. When he disappears from the political 
scene it will not be easy to find in Russia another 
person of his high integrity and so entirely free from 
those petty lapses to which the world in general 
attaches little importance, but which, nevertheless, 
make or mar the character of a public man. 

Personally, I have rarely met Count Woronzoff 
save in an official capacity, or at some great Court 
function, but on a very sad — if not the saddest — 
occasion in my life circumstances drew me nearer to 
him, and I have retained for him a feeling of gratitude 
which will only end with my own existence. At a 
moment when I found myself in great moral difficulties, 
when many people who had cringed to me the day 
before turned round and began rending me, I found 
in Count Woronzoff a true friend. 

The Emperor Alexander III. had another intimate 
friend in the person of Count Serge Scheremetieff, also 
a great nobleman, and the type of those Russian Barines 
of times past of whom we used to read in old history 
books. He led a truly patriarchal existence in the 
bosom of his numerous family, protected artists, scientific 
and literary men, was immensely wealthy, and made the 
most noble use of his enormous fortune. The Emperor 
and the Empress were frequent visitors to his house, 
and both had the greatest respect for him, treating him 
like a true and trustworthy friend. They were like- 
wise much attached to the Countess, a Princess Wiazem- 
sky by birth, and the granddaughter of the famous 
poet of that name. 

251 



Memories of Forty Years 

Count Serge Scheremetieff had a brother, Count 
Alexander, married to a Countess Heyden, whose 
father had occupied for many years the responsible 
position of Governor- General of Finland, where he 
succeeded in securing many friends, and whose 
mother, the Countess Heyden, had been a personal 
friend of the Empress Marie Alexandrovna. This 
lady did more than any other woman in Russia for the 
development of the Red Cross Society, as well as the 
organisation of hospitals and sanitary refuges, where 
the poor of St. Petersburg could be treated gratuitously. 

After her death her daughter, the Countess Mary 
Scheremetieff, continued her work, and in her turn 
has applied to the noblest aims the great fortune 
of which Providence had placed at her disposal. 
Her husband, Count Alexander, is a most distin- 
guished musician, and keeps a private orchestra, 
which gives frequent public concerts, where one can 
hear the best modern musical productions. Last 
winter he gave a performance of Parsifal in the private 
theatre of the Emperor at the Ermitage Palace, that 
drew together all the smart society of St. Petersburg. 
Count and Countess Scheremetieff entertain a great 
deal in their splendid house on the French Quay, and 
they used every season to give private theatricals, 
where classical Russian pieces were represented, in 
which the Count himself took a leading part. Invita- 
tions to these festivities were eagerly sought after, 
and the Emperor and Empress, together with the other 
members of the Imperial family, were nearly always 
present, as well as the most select families of the great 
capital. 



The Man Next the Throne 

The friends of Alexander III. were generally 
called the Gatschina coterie, because they were for 
the most composed of people who were invited to 
this favourite palace of the Sovereign when he was in 
residence. The most influential member of it was General 
Tcherevine, the head of the Okhrana, or personal 
guard of the Emperor, who had the control at the 
same time of the whole organisation of the political 
police of the Empire. During the whole reign of 
Alexander III. he was, next to the Emperor, the most 
powerful man in Russia, and at the request of Nicholas 
II. he retained his position when the latter came to 
the throne. He, however, only survived the late Tsar 
a few months, as he died before the Coronation of his 
new master. 

When talking of him I wonder whether I shall be 
able to do so with sufficient impartiality. For years 
the General was one of my dearest and most intimate 
friends. I have known him so well that it is almost 
embarrassing for me to speak about him, because 
everything that I could say might seem either entirely 
banal or affected, or else uttered with the desire to give 
myself importance, which would be far, indeed, from 
my intention. Though I wish to pay a last homage 
of sincere affection and respect to the friend of my 
youth, I would also bear witness to the great quali- 
ties of this eminent and remarkable man, to his intelli- 
gence, tact, and heart, as well as his devotion to the 
responsible duties of his office. 

Tcherevine until his death was the most popu- 
lar man in St. Petersburg society, not only on account 
of the high and important duties with which he was 

253 



Memories of Forty Years 

entrusted, but especially owing to his rare personal 
qualities. Devoted to his Imperial Master, he proved 
himself a true and reliable friend, never hesitating to 
speak quite frankly when the necessity arose, or to 
contradict his Sovereign, in order to let him learn 
the truth. He was allowed an entire freedom of 
speech, and he used it to the best purpose by bring- 
ing to the knowledge of Alexander III. things that 
the latter would otherwise never have had the chance 
of hearing. 

He was not afraid of taking responsibilities, even 
of a nature before which less brave men would have 
recoiled. Thus, one day Alexander III. told him 
that he regretted the abolition of the famous Third 
Section of the political police of the Empire, and 
that he had decided to call it into existence once 
more. He ordered him to prepare the necessary ukase 
for the Senate, expressing his determination to return 
to the past order of things. Tcherevine, of course, 
executed the command which had been given him, but 
instead of hastening to send the ukase to its destina- 
tion, as many other people would have done in his 
place, he took it upon himself, not finding the measure 
wise or opportune, to keep the document in his drawer 
and to delay its dispatch. Two days later the Emperor 
asked him whether the ukase had been already for- 
warded, and on the reply of the General that he had 
thought it better to wait, asked him to return it to 
him, adding that, after all, when thinking the matter 
over, he had changed his mind. Another occasion on 
which Tcherevine showed his independence of spirit 
was at the beginning of the present reign, when the 

254 



Modesty of General Tcherevine 

question again arose of the organisation of a ministry 
of police, the direction of which it was intended to 
confide to the General. The latter vigorously opposed 
the idea, saying that in his opinion the young Emperor 
ought not to begin his reign by thus giving to the 
whole world a proof that he required other protection 
than the love that he inspired in his new subjects. 

These instances, two of many others of the same 
kind, will prove better than anything else the kind 
of nature this remarkable personage possessed, who, 
notwithstanding the immense power which he wielded, 
was a man of wonderful modesty. He ever sought 
opportunities to be useful to others, to redress injustice, 
and thought it his duty to put before the eyes of 
his master everything that was to the advantage of 
others, carefully concealing from him all that might 
be construed as a desire to put his own person in 
evidence. 

Instead of looking for personal honours and dig- 
nities, General Tcherevine never required anything for 
himself, and he died a relatively poor man, in spite of 
the many millions that had passed through his hands, 
and of which he had had the free disposal. 

More than one attempt was made against his life, 
but he never boasted about this, as others would 
have done, and except once, when the fact could not 
be hidden from the public, he never mentioned the 
subject, even to the Emperor. His courage was un- 
daunted and his fatalism deeply rooted. He believed 
in his own destiny, which was really a happy one, as he 
had the rare good fortune to die before either age or 
sickness had overtaken him, and in full possession of 

255 



Memories of Forty Years 

the confidence of his Sovereign. He died with an 
unsullied reputation, with the feeling of having always 
done his duty and of having never refrained from 
self-sacrifice whenever circumstances required it, and 
he carried with him to his grave the respect as well as 
the affection of all those who had known him. 

He was the most faithful friend and the wisest 
adviser any monarch could have had. The Emperor 
Alexander III. liked and appreciated his rare quali- 
ties, and the Empress also had a warm affection for 
him. On his side he had a kind of worship for the 
person of Marie Feodorovna. His eyes, which had 
sometimes such a dry expression, used to fill with 
moisture whenever he mentioned her name, and he 
often told me that no one knew, nor could properly 
appreciate, the rare, the exquisite qualities of the Em- 
press, her perfect heart, her pure and true soul, her 
genuine and never - failing kindness. He was her 
knight, true and faithful, having sworn to her a devo- 
tion as passionate as it was respectful, and he always 
used to say that she represented for him the most 
perfect being he had ever met in the course of his 
life — a veritable angel in woman's shape. 

One of the distinctive features of Tcherevine's 
character was his absolute discretion. Never on a 
single occasion did one word escape his lips that he 
ought not to have uttered. Never once did he com- 
mit an indiscretion, and I may add that he would 
never have awarded his friendship or his trust to any 
person capable of showing herself indiscreet. He was 
a good judge of character, and did not give his con- 
fidence easily. I think I can say with truth that I 

256 



Princess Vladimir Obolensky 

am one of the people who knew him best. I owe him 
much, and still feel his death acutely. His memory 
will be treasured in my heart as long as I live. 

Such men are not often met with, and he was 
worthy of the tears which the Empress Marie Feo- 
dorovna shed upon his coffin. She lost in him not 
only a devoted, faithful, and intelligent servant, but 
also a friend passionately attached to her person and 
to her family. With her usual comprehension of men 
and things the Empress knew how to appreciate the 
General, during whose last moments she was present, 
holding his hands and weeping silently as he slowly 
expired ; and if anything could have eased the death 
struggle of a man who did not wish to die, yet felt 
he was passing away in the full strength of his man- 
hood and activity at a time when he knew himself to 
be almost indispensable to his monarch as well as to his 
country, it must have been this last supreme proof of 
friendship shown to him by the sovereign lady of 
whom he had been so proud to be considered the 
knight and the defender. 

Both Alexander III. and his Consort had also con- 
tracted ties of warm friendship and affection with 
Prince and Princess Vladimir Obolensky. The latter, 
by birth a Countess Apraxine, had been the first lady 
in waiting of Marie Feodorovna, when she arrived in 
Russia as the future heiress to its Throne. After her 
marriage with Prince Obolensky, who until his death 
was head of the Imperial Household, the Countess con- 
tinued to be treated with affection and familiarity by 
her august mistress. Her husband was a perfect gen- 
tleman and a most amiable man, whose death was a 

r 257 



Memories of Forty Years 

great personal sorrow for the Emperor as well as for 
the Empress, who appreciated his sterling qualities and 
devotion to their person. The Princess has remained 
on most affectionate terms with Marie Feodorovna, and 
is one of the few persons left with whom the latter can 
speak of the events of the past. 

The Empress had another intimate friend, Madame 
Helene Scheremetieff, by birth a Countess Strogonoff, 
and the daughter of the Grand Duchess Marie Nico- 
laievna, by her morganatic marriage with Count Gregory 
Strogonoff. There was a time when Helene Grigorievna, 
as she used to be called, exercised a great social influ- 
ence in St. Petersburg. She was a very handsome 
woman, whose features bore a great likeness to those 
of her grandfather, Nicholas I. Unfortunately she died 
relatively young, and was extremely regretted by all 
those who had the opportunity of knowing her. 

The Empress had a Master of the Household speci- 
ally attached to her person, who was one of the most 
amiable men that St. Petersburg society could boast 
of. Prince John Galitzine was a most popular per- 
sonage with everybody ; no one among the smart set 
would have dreamt of giving an evening party or a 
dinner without inviting him to it, and no reception 
would have seemed successful if he had not been 
present. He had any amount of social talents, was 
an excellent actor and organiser of private thea- 
tricals, used to read aloud like Mounet Sully himself, 
and was often entreated in a certain small literary 
set to lecture on new books, comedies, or dramas. 
Prince John was the most discreet of men, and his 
devotion to the Empress equalled that of General 

258 



Prince Galitzine's Services 

Tcherevine. There was nobody in the world for him 
above Marie Feodorovna, whom he helped in the 
many difficulties of her social task, in the most tact- 
ful manner possible. He knew everyone worth know- 
ing, and though showing himself equally amiable to 
all, nevertheless avoided getting upon intimate terms 
with anybody, in order not to find himself obliged to 
speak of things he did not care to mention, and also 
to avoid having remarks attributed to him which he 
had never made. 

When the Empress received in audience ladies 
from society, or deputations from far distant pro- 
vinces came to present their respects to her, Prince 
Galitzine used to inform himself beforehand as to 
what ought to be known concerning these persons, 
and the information helped his Imperial mistress in 
her task, enabling her to say the most appropriate 
things to them. When he died he was universally 
regretted, and by no one more than Marie Feodor- 
ovna, who was always so eminently appreciative of 
any services rendered to her. 

The present Dowager Empress was very fortunate 
at the beginning of her reign in being surrounded by 
people, all more or less remarkable in one way or 
another, who not only knew how to help her in her 
numerous and difficult duties, but who also contrived 
to make these duties seem easy and pleasant to her. 
She herself understood most admirably how to hold 
her Court, to give it dignity without stiffness, to make 
it attractive without allowing it to lose in either pomp 
or majesty ; but she also succeeded in finding those 
who loyally seconded her efforts and were able to 

259 



I 



Memories of Forty Years 

retain the high places in her estimation in which she 
had placed them. 

When Marie Feodorovna ascended the throne the 
post of Mistress of the Robes became almost imme- 
diately vacant, as the Princess Kourakine, who had 
been at the head of her household ever since her arrival 
in Russia, died shortly after the murder of Alexander 
II. Society wondered who would replace her, and 
great and general was the surprise of the public when 
it became known that this important position had 
been offered to and accepted by Princess Kotchoubey. 

Princess Helene Kotchoubey has been unquestion- 
ably one of the most remarkable women in Europe 
during the latter half of the nineteenth century. She 
was first married to Prince Belosselsky of Belozersk, by 
whom she had several children, amongst whom were 
Countess Paul Schouvaloff, the first wife of the General 
and Ambassador of that name, and the famous Princess 
Lise, or Lison Troubetzkoy, whose salon had at one 
time so much importance in Paris during the Presi- 
dency of M. Thiers. After her widowhood Princess 
Helene had contracted a second marriage with Prince 
Basil Kotchoubey, who, however, died very shortly 
afterwards, and she thenceforth played a consider- 
able part in the social life, not only of Russia, but also 
of foreign countries. Princess Helene contrived to get 
upon intimate terms with most of the crowned heads 
of Europe, and to grace with her presence nearly 
all the Royal and Imperial Courts worthy of her 
attention. 

William I. treated her as a personal friend, and 
the late Queen of Denmark, whose remarkable insight 

260 



Princess Helene Kotchoubey 

enabled her to quickly appreciate the qualities and 
defects of all those with whom she came into con- 
tact, had at once recognised and rendered justice to 
the singular aptitude of the Princess Helene, and 
warmly commended her to her daughter when the 
latter became the Tsarina of all the Russias. 

Princess Kotchoubey belonged to the old school, 
with superb, grand manners, whose politeness was just 
as refined as it was cool, according to the necessities 
of the moment, who possessed all the traditions of 
former times, understood all the different finesses and 
shades of social conventions, and who held ideas of 
greatness concerning the manner in which a Royal 
Court ought to be conducted that could only add to 
the splendour of the one over which she found her- 
self called upon to preside. During the years that 
she filled the responsible position of Mistress of the 
Robes to Marie Feodorovna she gave to the Winter 
Palace an air of dignity and state such as has not 
been seen since her death. Of small stature, yet she 
appeared almost tall, so straight did she hold herself, 
and so queenly was her whole bearing. 

She knew the Almanach de Gotha by heart, as 
well as what was due to each individual with whom 
she had to deal. She was a valuable guide to the 
Empress at the beginning of the latter' s reign, and 
displayed consummate tact in her delicate functions. 
No one who saw her at Moscow during the festivities 
that took place there at the time of the Coronation 
will ever forget the amiable way in which she did the 
honours of the Kremlin, and received the numerous 
foreign visitors who assembled in the capital of the 

261 



Memories of Forty Years 

Tsars at that memorable time. Her talents, experi- 
ence, and knowledge of the world revealed themselves 
in all their perfection, and her presence at the side of 
the beautiful and gracious Empress was of immense 
help to the latter amidst the complicated duties which 
she found herself called upon to perform. 

Unfortunately, the Princess Kotchoubey, who was 
already old and in frail health at the time she was 
appointed Mistress of the Robes, did not occupy that 
position long. She died at the beginning of the year 
1888, and St. Petersburg society has never seen, since 
she was removed from its midst, a person who could 
be compared to her, so completely has this type of a 
really great lady disappeared in general from the social 
horizon of Europe. 

Princess Helene's place was given after her death 
to the Countess Paul Strogonoff, who was scarcely 
known in St. Petersburg, her whole life having been 
spent in Moscow. She was also a very great lady, but 
she had but little knowledge of the world, and though 
full of the best intentions, was incapable of taking over 
the succession of the eminent woman who had pre- 
ceded her. She was, however, truly kind, and very 
amiable, as well as incapable of harming any one, 
and her appointment did not give rise to criticism. 
Though one related with a mischievous smile her 
small social mistakes, she was generally liked, if only 
for her devotion to the person of the lovely and loved 
young Empress over whose Court she presided. 



262 



CHAPTER V 

HIGH SOCIETY IN ST. PETERSBURG 

AT the time I am writing about, society life in St. 
iTL Petersburg was as pleasant as in any of the 
European capitals. It also offered to the visitor great 
attractions from an intellectual point of view. One 
could go every evening to one house or another, where, 
without any ceremony, and in the intimacy of a small 
circle, one could spend an hour or two discussing 
with perfect liberty all the questions of the day, were 
they political or social. The Government did not 
object to being criticised, and did not exercise any 
control over the conversations carried on in privileged 
circles. 

In this respect, considerably more freedom was 
allowed in St. Petersburg than in Berlin at the time 
Prince von Bismarck was at the head of affairs. 
The great world — because that is all I am speaking 
of here — was imbued with feelings of deep devotion 
to the person of the Sovereign, who, being well aware 
of this, did not care if a few sharp tongues indulged 
in censure of his ministers. It must, however, be added 
that never, even in the most unconstrained conversa- 
tions, was the name of the Emperor mentioned, and 
no one would have dared to discuss anything about 
which his ideas and opinions were known to the public. 

263 



Memories of Forty Years 

Politics, academically speaking, were very much to 
the fore during the whole reign of Alexander III., 
and they absorbed a great deal of the attention of 
those who took an interest in the events of the day. 
One eagerly commented on them : approved or blamed 
the decisions taken by the Government, but only when 
one found oneself alone and, so to speak, in one's family 
circle. Whenever a foreigner appeared, people used to 
relapse into silence, as if by common accord. The 
Diplomatic Corps, that had enjoyed considerable social 
importance in the reign of Alexander II., had been en- 
tirely thrown into the background under his successor, 
who did not care to see strangers introduced into the 
home life of his subjects, and the custom had gradually 
spread of talking Russian almost exclusively in pre- 
ference to French, the language formerly used. This, 
too, had contributed to keep diplomats aside, so that 
the post of St. Petersburg, which for a long time had 
been eagerly sought after, was coveted no more, and 
young attaches or secretaries no longer cared to be 
sent to the Russian capital. From a certain point of 
view, this retirement into which Russian society with- 
drew had its advantages; it also had drawbacks, as 
contact with foreigners is necessaiy to a great nation, 
in order to broaden its ideas. 

St. Petersburg was not given to gossip, especially 
ill-natured gossip such as one used to hear in Berlin, 
and even in certain select sets of the Faubourg St. 
Germain in Paris. One could lead a very pleasant 
life there, provided one knew how to choose one's 
friends, and as I have said before, there were 
plenty of opportunities other than at large and 

264 



Vanishing Customs 

official receptions of seeing people under agreeable 
conditions. 

An amusing memory of those times was the manner 
in which middle-aged ladies adopted elderly habits, and 
as soon as their daughters were of an age to enjoy 
balls and dances, the mothers — many of whom were not 
yet fifty —appeared as chaperons, in elderly attire with 
high dresses and lace caps, which were altogether amus- 
ing. The type has almost, if not entirely, disappeared, 
but in the early years of the reign of Alexander III. 
it was rampant. 

Patriarchal life also had not died out in certain 
circles ; for instance, in the family of Count Serge 
Scheremetieff, in that of the old Countess Moussine 
Pouschkine, a lady of honour to the Empress, at the 
Woronzoffs, and in a few other houses. We used 
to assemble there on certain solemn occasions, such as 
New Year's Eve, Easter night, on the anniversaries of 
the birthday of the hostess, often on Sundays for 
dinner, and in any case twice or three times a week 
in the afternoons. Old traditions were strictly adhered 
to, calls were obligatory in cases of marriages, births, 
or deaths, and a certain etiquette was prescribed and 
followed, imposed by the old people and obeyed by 
the young. All this has come to an end, and one can 
find traces of it hardly anywhere but at the Countess 
Moussine Pouschkine' s. This, in my opinion at least, 
is because I shall always hold that it is necessary to 
have, in a world that prides itself upon being con- 
sidered polished, old ladies to remember and observe 
its traditions, as well as to impose habits of a politeness 
that to-day it has become a habit to treat but lightly. 

265 



Memories of Forty Years 

One used then to go in the evening to see Countess 
Lewachoff, an aunt of mine who at one time exercised 
a considerable influence over St. Petersburg society ; 
old Countess Sophy Tolstoy, the wife of the Minister 
of the Interior ; Madame Schebeko ; Madame Nelidoff ; 
M. Gontscharoff, member of the Council of State, 
whose wife was one of the most amiable and kindest 
women in the world ; Princess Paschkievitch, the 
beautiful Princess Marie Obolensky, and many other 
great ladies. At their houses one met nearly always 
the same three or four people every day, with whom 
one could spend a most pleasant hour, and where one 
was always received with equal kindness, whether one 
arrived in morning dress or in a ball gown, before 
attending some important function that required it. 
Receptions generally beginning extremely late, one 
was glad to be able to beguile the hours between 
nine and twelve o'clock in such congenial society. 

Madame Nelidoff was a charming woman in her way. 
She had never been pretty, and had never even aspired 
to be considered so. She had a wonderful intelligence 
which gave her considerable influence over several 
statesmen. They often consulted her, and always had 
reason to congratulate themselves on having done 
so. She had a particular talent for keeping con- 
versation going on any subject, and did so without 
ever talking much herself, by simply giving others the 
necessary lead. Her house at one time had been a 
great political centre, and assumed an importance 
which perhaps it did not quite deserve. Though it 
lost influence partly after the accession of Alexander 
III. on account of the semi-disgrace in which were 

266 



Salons of Society 

involved several people who had been among its daily 
visitors, and who found themselves obliged to leave 
Russia for a while, one always liked to go and see its 
mistress, and to hear her talk on the events of the 
day with an animation and brightness in which she 
had no equal. 

Countess Lewaehoff was very different from Madame 
Nelidoff. She was also a person of considerable intelli- 
gence and even wit, extremely cultivated, well read, 
and up in everything that was going on, not only in 
Russia but also in Europe generally. She used to read 
a great deal, and sometimes she mixed different things 
up in her mind ; but she had plenty of resource, was 
very amiable and kind-hearted, and always ready to 
help others and to make herself useful. Her house, 
which was open to her friends three times a week, was 
thronged by foreigners passing through St. Petersburg, 
in addition to its own small circle of faithful visitors. 
One was certain whenever one spent an hour there 
to be informed of everything that was going on, be 
it in the official or the smart world ; and one was 
never bored in her company. 

The Countess Tolstoy confined her receptions strictly 
to her own family circle, but as the latter was very 
large, one always found oneself in a numerous com- 
pany. The Countess was kindness itself, and it was 
considered a great honour to be admitted to her 
house. She had an only daughter, a pleasant woman 
of more than ordinary intelligence, who was married to 
Count Serge Toll, now member of the Council of State. 

Madame Schebeko, whose husband was the head of 
the gendarmes' special corps, was one of the persons 

267 



Memories of Forty Years 

whom I cared most to go and see. I have never 
met anyone so discreet, as regards social relations, or 
having such an intense dislike for any kind of useless 
and mischievous gossip. She had a lovely daughter- 
in-law, who in recent years graced the Russian Em- 
bassy in Vienna, where her husband, M. Schebeko, the 
son of my old friend, was Ambassador. 

I never met the Princess Paschkievitch, who at the 
time when I used to go out into society had already 
retired from it, and lived in seclusion. She had made 
a museum of her house, so full was it of rare works 
of art; but all those who frequented it were unanim- 
ous in their praises of the distinguished woman who 
was its mistress. She translated into French the two 
principal novels of Tolstoy, " War and Peace " and 
" Anna Karenina," and was herself a writer of no 
mean talent. Unfortunately, she used to lead a most 
retired existence, and received no one outside a very 
small circle of friends. The Princess, who is still 
alive, and who divides her time between her house 
in St. Petersburg and her splendid castle of Homel in 
the Government of Mohilew, is the sister of Count 
Woronzoff Dachkoff. 

The Princess Marie Obolensky, in spite of the 
years that had passed over her head, was still beautiful. 
She kept open house, where one could go every day 
at tea time. Her parties were considered extremely 
dull — not without reason, it must be owned ; but she 
was herself so kind, so amiable, and sincerely glad to 
greet her visitors, that to give her pleasure one felt 
obliged to go and bore oneself in her company from 
time to time. 

268 



Count and Countess Pahlen 

There was another house in St. Petersburg, pre- 
sided over by a very distinguished lady, where it was 
most difficult to gain an entree. It was that of the 
Countess Pahlen, the wife of Count Constantine Pahlen, 
formerly Minister of Justice under Alexander II., and 
one of the most eminent statesmen in Russia during 
the latter half of the last century. The Countess was 
fond of society, though at one time, when her husband 
retired from public life, she declared that she had had 
enough of it. However, she never entirely closed her 
doors to her numerous friends and acquaintances. At 
the time of the coronation of Alexander III., as well 
as that of the present Tsar, Count Pahlen filled the 
important functions of Grand Master of the Cere- 
monies, and the Countess used to welcome every even- 
ing the numerous foreigners that these two important 
events had called to Moscow, as well as the members 
of St. Petersburg society who had gone there on these 
memorable occasions. It would be difficult to find 
anywhere a more perfect and dignified hostess than 
she showed herself. She was one of those great ladies 
of former times who were always polite without ever 
showing any familiarity, with a superb manner and 
grand looks. 

The diplomats, who were but rarely admitted into 
the home circles of the different houses which I have 
just described, used to take refuge in that of the 
Countess Delianoff, the wife of the Minister of Public 
Instruction. Her salon was for them a centre of 
reunion that they have sadly missed since the death 
of that amiable and agreeable woman. Countess Deli- 
anoff was by birth an Armenian, and a perfect type of 

269 



Memories of Forty Years 

the race to which she belonged, having a long, hooked 
nose and very dark complexion. She was possessed of 
many minor but harmless eccentricities, but redeemed 
them by her sincere kindness and amiability. Few 
people remember her now, which is a pity, and shows 
much ingratitude, because her only thought in life was 
to make herself, as well as her house, pleasant to 
others. 

She cared for nothing better than to be always sur- 
rounded by her numerous friends, and used to receive 
every afternoon between five and six o'clock. Her 
hours were very strict, for if one arrived at three 
minutes to five or at three minutes past six, one was 
not admitted. She used to give perfect dinners and 
frequent receptions, where one was literally crushed 
to the condition of a pancake, as she always invited 
about five times as many people as her relatively 
small rooms could accommodate. But the greater the 
crush the more delighted she felt. An excellent woman 
all things considered, invariably polite and obliging 
and ready to help others, and an altogether popular 
hostess, her house constituted a landmark in St. 
Petersburg society, and when its doors closed the city 
lost a great deal from the social point of view. 



270 



CHAPTER VI 

SOCIAL LIFE IN ST. PETERSBURG 

PUTTING aside the small and select receptions 
which I have just described, social life in St. 
Petersburg was very brilliant and animated during the 
season. Frequent festivities took place at Court, and 
seven to eight balls were regularly given, either at the 
Winter or the Anitchkov Palace, where the Emperor 
and Empress resided between New Year and the 
beginning of Lent. These balls and another small 
dance at the Palace of the Ermitage were the most 
sought after, as it was considered a special privilege 
to be invited to them, and the number of guests was 
limited to three or four hundred people. The Grand 
Dukes also frequently received the upper ten thou- 
sand that constituted the cream of the society of the 
capital, and the Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna gave 
several fancy-dress balls, one of which excited a good 
deal of talk owing to the magnificence of the costumes 
displayed for the occasion, and especially on account 
of the marvellous appearance of the Empress Marie 
Feodorovna in the dress of a Russian Tsarina of 
olden times, literally covered with the [pick of the 
splendid crown jewels. One might have thought that 
this heavy attire would crush her ; but, on the con- 

271 



Memories of Forty Years 

trary, she wore it with such grace that it only added 
new attractions to her beautiful slight figure, and that 
evening can be reckoned as one of her greatest 
triumphs. 

The Grand Duchess Serge gave some fine balls 
whilst she still lived in St. Petersburg, before her 
consort was appointed Governor-General of Moscow ; 
and during her short married life the Grand Duchess 
Paul also proved a charming, excellent hostess, and 
showed great fondness for entertaining. She had a 
beautiful palace on the English Quay, which since 
her early death has been closed to the public. 

The season usually began with a large reception 
on New Year's Day, where ladies were expected to 
appear in the national dress with long Court trains. 
It took place in the morning, after Mass had been 
solemnised in the chapel of the Winter Palace. The 
Empress received the congratulations of the ladies 
belonging to Court society, who filed past her, kissing 
her hand as they did so. 

The Imperial Family, who resided at their castle 
of Gatschine during the whole autumn, moved to 
St. Petersburg on New Year's Eve, and remained 
in residence until Lent. The series of great festivi- 
ties opened very soon after with a ball, to which 
something like six thousand people were asked, that 
took place in a vast hall that went by the name of 
Nicholas Hall, from a large, life-size portrait of the 
Emperor Nicholas I., which constituted its principal 
ornament. 

The first ball was remarkable for the fact that 
it was only official people and functionaries of superior 

272 



Festivities at the Winter Palace 

rank who were invited to it, so that sometimes the 
smartest people happened to be excluded, owing to 
the fact that they had not the Tchin entitling them 
to an invitation. To anyone unacquainted with 
the intricacies of Russian etiquette, this may appear 
strange, and it must therefore be explained that, 
according to regulations existing since the reign of 
Peter the Great, it is only the four first classes of 
the Tchin that are allowed to attend official Court 
functions. Unfortunately, these four classes are some- 
times composed of people whose services have gained 
their promotion, but who are absolutely ignorant of 
the customs and manners of the upper society, who 
would never dream of having any relations with them 
beyond purely official ones. The result is that a 
Prince Galitzine or Mestchersky may not be allowed 
to enter the Winter Palace on certain occasions, whilst 
a M. Ivanoff or Petroff, which is the equivalent of the 
English Jones or Smith, finds himself an honoured 
guest of his Sovereign. 

It was for the especial benefit of these Joneses 
and Smiths that the large ball about which I have 
just spoken was given, and it was curious to watch 
the people invited to it — people one would never 
have the occasion to meet again, or to see anywhere 
else but at this particular function, which constituted 
for their wives and daughters the one solitary oppor- 
tunity they had of looking upon their Sovereigns, if 
only from a distance. They collected together in a 
great band, and, supremely conscious of their own 
importance, marched like a battalion of infantry, 
brushing aside all those who stood in their path. 

s 273 



Memories of Forty Years 

Happily oblivious of anyone else but themselves, and 
equally unconscious of the spectacle their own bulky 
persons presented, clad as they were in extraordinary 
dresses and bejewelled uniforms, sparkling with decora- 
tions, their one ambition was to capture the best place 
at supper. The crush was generally terrible on these 
occasions, and it was most difficult to find one's way 
or to move about, especially in the ballroom itself, 
as well as in a long gallery that ran down its whole 
length, where tables were spread, and were continually 
surrounded by hungry or thirsty people. 

I remember that at one of these balls I was 
going down to supper on the arm of a cousin of mine, 
Count Toll, the son-in-law of Count Tolstoy, then 
Minister of the Interior. Before us walked a couple 
entirely unknown to us, consisting of a very high civil 
functionary, to judge by his uniform, and a very stout 
lady, whose manners left much to be desired, and 
whose loud, vulgar voice betrayed a sorry lack of 
education. She was hanging on to the epaulettes of 
a young officer who was walking in front of her, also 
with a lady on his arm, and kept saying to her com- 
panion, " Hold on tight to me ; I am going to stick 
to the epaulettes of this little colonel, and he will pull 
us through ! " The " little colonel " was none other 
than the Heir to the Throne, the Grand Duke Tsare- 
vitch, Nicholas Alexandre vitch, who, with one of the 
daughters of Count Woronzoff Dachkoff, was wending 
his steps toward the supper rooms. 

I relate this incident, not only because it is 
amusing, but because it proves how very little 
smart society was known to the people invited 

274 



An Amusing Error 

to this official function, seeing that even the 
appearance of their future Emperor was unfamiliar 
to them. 

Talking of the Taynoie Sowietnikis (Privy Coun- 
cillors), by which name this crowd was playfully called 
in smart circles, reminds me of another delightful 
story, that was related one winter, and which caused 
general amusement at the time it occurred. When 
the Marquis de Montebello was appointed French 
Ambassador at the Russian Court, and gave his first 
official reception, the cards for this entertainment, as 
is usual in such cases, were sent to the very same 
people who were on the list of those officially admitted 
at Court by virtue of their official rank. These invi- 
tations were issued in French, and ran thus : " L'Am- 
bassadeur de France, ay ant presente ses lettres de 

creance a S.M. L'Empereur, previent M. qu'il 

sera chez lui le ." (" The French Ambassador, 

having had the honour to present his credentials to 

H.M. the Emperor, gives notice to M. that he 

will be at home on .") 

A very important personage among the Tchinow- 
nikis, not being well up in the intricacies of the French 
language, on receiving such a card, imagined that 
the words " sera chez lui " (" will be at home ") meant 
that the Ambassador was going to pay him a visit, 
and rushed to the Embassy to explain that he was 
quite overwhelmed at the honour which the repre- 
sentative of the French Republic was going to do 
him, but that he did not live in a house fit to receive 
such an important guest, consequently he begged His 
Excellency to give up the idea of honouring him with 

275 



Memories of Forty Years 

his presence. I do not vouch for the truth of this 
anecdote, but it caused much mirth at the time it 
was put into circulation. 

The smart set were always in full force at the 
three other dances, which were given in a circular 
room, called the concert hall. On these occasions the 
room was quite fairy-like in its magnificence and in 
the brilliancy of the dresses and jewels displayed. 
The suppers especially were most wonderful, and the 
Nicholas Hall, where they were served, was trans- 
formed for the occasion into a winter garden. Gigantic 
palms from the Imperial hothouses were set in long 
avenues all down the room, and from the centre of 
each table rose a fine specimen, the trunk of which 
was surrounded by splendid flowers. Everywhere 
banks of roses, tulips, and other sweet-smelling blos- 
soms were strewn about, and a carpet of hyacinths 
was spread at the foot of the Emperor Nicholas's por- 
trait, opposite which was placed the table at which 
sat the Empress, together with the Grand Duchesses 
and foreign ambassadors. I have seen many fine 
receptions in my life, but I have never been at any 
festivity approaching in splendour and luxury these 
balls, often called " Palm Balls," in allusion to the 
main feature of the decorations. 

The Empress used to dance a great deal and to 
amuse herself most frankly and heartily. It is a long 
time now since the Winter Palace witnessed receptions 
the like of which I have just described, but even if 
they ever took place again it is doubtful whether they 
would be the same, now that the gracious, exquisite 
Marie Feodorovna would be no longer there in all the 

276 



At the Anitchkov Palace 

splendour of her youth and with her childlike capa- 
city for enjoyment. 

These balls were considered small, inasmuch as 
scarcely more than one thousand invitations were 
issued for them. In former times the number was 
even smaller, but it gradually increased and the whole 
Diplomatic Corps was asked to them. Another ball 
used to be given which was exclusively attended by 
local Russian society, and, with the exception of the 
Ambassadors, no foreigner was ever admitted. 

The balls at the Anitchkov Palace, where the 
Sovereigns resided, were only attended by the people 
whom the Empress knew well enough to treat as 
friends, and they did not differ in the least from 
receptions such as any rich private person might give. 
The season was generally closed by a lunch fol- 
lowed by a dance, at the Yelaguine Palace, on one 
of the islands that environ St. Petersburg. This 
came to an end punctually at midnight on the last 
Sunday of carnival, and immediately it was over the 
Court was transferred again to Gatschina, the palace 
that the Emperor preferred to all his other residences. 
The Sovereigns frequently attended the receptions of 
a few private persons whom they honoured with their 
friendship, such as the Counts Scheremetieff, Count 
and Countess Woronzoff Dachkoff, Count Orloff 
Davidoff, and Prince Youssoupoff ; and one of the 
smartest balls that was ever given for the Empress, 
at the beginning of her reign, took place at Count 
and Countess Steinbock Fermor's. I can still see 
Marie Feodorovna making her entry into the ball- 
room, on the arm of her host, dressed in a soft pink 

277 



Memories of Forty Years 

gown, with clouds of tulle thrown carelessly over her 
satin petticoat, long sprays of moss roses looped 
up here and there, a marvellous parure of rubies 
and diamonds shining on her neck and on the 
bodice of her dress, and a splendid tiara in her dark 
hair. In that brilliant array one felt almost tempted 
to forget the Sovereign in one's admiration of the 
woman, so lovely was she. The Emperor, together 
with his Consort, also attended festivities at the 
foreign Embassies. 

Apart from these receptions, all of which were 
more or less official ones, there was a great deal of 
dancing in the Russian capital, especially among the 
young people. The number of balls for girls and 
debutantes surpassed by far those given in honour of 
young married ladies. The latter used to console 
themselves by organising sledge parties, which generally 
ended with a cotillon in one or other of the numerous 
restaurants. 

Large private balls were not of frequent occur- 
rence, and the most luxurious ones took place at the 
house of two old maids, the sisters Netchaieff, who 
occupied, together with their brother, M. Netchaieff 
Maltseff, one of the richest men in St. Petersburg, a 
splendid house in the Sergievskaya Street, arranged 
and furnished in the worst of taste, but with the great- 
est luxury. They were the best women in the world, 
these sisters, but, like their brother, were most ridicu- 
lous in their manners. Far advanced in the sixties, 
they dressed in quite a juvenile fashion, and always 
alike, just as if they had been young girls first coming 
out in society. One of them was short and stout, the 

278 



Two Quaint Sisters 

other tall and thin, and both were painfully lacking 
in good looks, which added to the singularity of their 
clothes. 

But with it all they were both excellent, kind, 
charitable creatures, who did an enormous amount of 
good without any fuss or ostentation. They were not 
so modest, however, about their money. Having been 
brought up far from St. Petersburg, and in an ex- 
tremely unpretentious way — their millions having come 
to them late in life through the death of a distant 
relation — they had not become used to their riches. 
They gave most excellent dinners to sixty or seventy 
people, at which were served all the delicacies of the 
season, the price of which they hastened to tell their 
guests. One laughed at them and at their brother, 
but everybody flocked to their receptions. It is a long 
time now since they departed for a better world, and 
the beautiful Netchaieff house is closed, having passed 
into the possession of a nephew of its former owners, 
M. Elim Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, the owner of 
the vast Demidoff estates, who, being Russian Minister 
at the Court of Athens, does not live at present in St. 
Petersburg. He is married to the third daughter of 
Count Woronzoff Dachkoff, and that marriage being 
childless one wonders to whom the Netchaieff millions 
will eventually lapse. 

M. Netchaieff Maltseff, who died some months 
ago, made the most noble use of his great riches. It 
was he who organised the Alexander III. Museum in 
Moscow, and most of the charitable institutions in 
Russia have found in him a magnificent and gener- 
ous patron. This would amply suffice to forgive him 

279 



Memories of Forty Years 

more serious things than the small peculiarities that 
used to afford such amusement to St. Petersburg 
society. 

The three Netchaieffs were typical figures that rose 
on the social horizon of the Russian capital. One saw 
them everywhere, and in spite of their age the sisters 
even liked to be invited to dances given for quite 
young debutantes, where they honestly believed it 
was their duty to be present. They sincerely con- 
sidered themselves in their right place, which was 
true enough in a certain sense, since kindness, amia- 
bility, and cheerfulness are never out of place any- 
where. It should be added that in the days when I 
myself used to go out a great deal into society there 
was in St. Petersburg a circle of old people who were 
as fond of dances as the Netchaieff sisters, and they 
composed one of its most agreeable elements. For 
instance I have never met anywhere a pleasanter, 
more amiable, and entertaining man than my late 
uncle, General Timascheff, formerly Minister of the 
Interior, in the reign of Alexander II., a sculptor of 
talent and a distinguished mind, whose presence was 
eagerly sought at all the receptions of the winter 
season. How pleasanter by far was his conversation 
than that of many young men, who believed them- 
selves quite irresistible. 

Thinking of him, as well as of many others be- 
longing to his generation, I cannot help remarking that 
among the survivors of the times of Alexander II., 
and especially among the members of his military 
household, there were many pleasant people, who, in 
spite of their relatively advanced age, were preferred to 

280 



A Forgotten Art 

younger ones by women, on account of the politeness 
and amiability with which they treated them. 

It is sad to have to say so, but the present genera- 
tion seems to have forgotten that exquisite courtesy 
which constituted such a particular feature of St. 
Petersburg society, which at the time I am writing 
about was without exception the most polished and 
polite in Europe. Now, as elsewhere, good manners 
are considered old-fashioned and out of date in the 
Russian capital, but personally I cannot help regret- 
ting the times when slang was unknown, and women 
were pleased to be honoured with attentions that 
never compromised them in the least. 



281 



CHAPTER VII 

A FEW SALONS OF OLD 

IN those years of the early 'nineties, there existed still 
in St. Petersburg a few salons modelled after those 
of Paris at the time of the Restoration. Admission 
was eagerly sought, for an invitation was considered 
to make assured the social position of their visitors. 
One of these salons was that of Madame Emmanuel 
Narischkine (nee Tchitcherine) — Aunt Sacha, as she 
was familiarly called in her exclusive circle. Madame 
Narischkine rejoiced in the possession of a considerable 
number of enemies. I have always wondered why this 
was the case, because personally I have always found 
her charming, good, and kind. She was enormously 
rich, and, thanks to her husband, whom she had 
married when he was already very old, and to his 
social standing in the world, she was in possession of 
a position of outstanding influence which she suc- 
ceeded in improving by her own personal qualities. 

A little abrupt in her manners, and certainly too 
frank in her language, she had a straightforward, 
honest character that was incapable of being influ- 
enced by the prejudices of others; she liked to judge 
things on her own account, and whilst she spon- 
taneously extended her sympathies to those whom 

282 



A Circassian Princess 

she liked, she did not spare those who had fallen 
under her displeasure. 

Madame Narischkine used to give magnificent balls 
in honour of the Empress Marie Feodorovna, to 
which she invited only the personal friends of the 
young Sovereign and her own particular set. Since 
the death of M. Emmanuel Narischkine, his widow 
has been living a retired existence, given up almost 
exclusively to good deeds and kind actions, of which 
the public knows nothing beyond what it may hear 
by chance or by accident. 

The name of Narischkine reminds me of the famous 
Basil Narischkine, whose follies were so closely con- 
nected with the French Second Empire. I also knew 
him, though very slightly, and I remember having 
once taken my eldest daughter to a ball which he 
gave for his own daughter's coming out. It was quite 
an event in the social life of St. Petersburg, being the 
first time for years that the doors of the fine Narisch- 
kine house had been thrown open to society. 

Its treasures in pictures and works of art, collected 
with such knowledge and care, were not often to be 
seen, because ever since his marriage with a beautiful 
Circassian Princess he had become a lover of his 
fireside, and, surrounded by his wife and children, 
seemed to have entirely forgotten the gaieties of 
his youth, when, in a game of ecarte at the Jockey 
Club, he had staked half a million on a single card 
against the luck of the Turk Khalil Bey and other 
lords of the like importance, the remembrance of 
whom lived in the annals of that long-removed Cafe 
Anglais. 

283 



Memories of Forty Years 

Basil Narischkine was an exceedingly pleasant man 
with a fascinating personality, in spite of his extreme 
ugliness. He was keenly, delicately clever, with more 
knowledge of the world and more experience than 
most of his contemporaries, to which he added a 
certain air of scepticism and indulgent irony that 
rendered his conversation extremely interesting and 
curious. At least, that was how he impressed me on 
the only occasion I had of talking to him, which 
occurred on the night of the ball I have alluded to, 
when he showed me personally many of the art trea- 
sures he had collected, and cherished almost as closely 
as he did his children. The Narischkine house still 
stands, but its master is dead. His widow and sons 
occupy the mansion when they are in Russia, but they 
spend the greater part of the year abroad. 

There was another house in St. Petersburg it is 
impossible to pass by in silence. It deserves to be 
mentioned with respect if only on account of its strict 
exclusiveness, otherwise than for a mere visit of cere- 
mony. It was that of the Princess Elizabeth Baria- 
tinsky — the Princess Betsy, as she was called by her 
intimate friends, " Princess Chateau," as she had been 
nicknamed by those who were not included among 
the people she liked to have around her. I have never 
been able to discover the origin of this singular appel- 
lation, but it was currently bandied about town, and 
one day a newly-arrived diplomat, not acquainted with 
the small mysteries of social life in St. Petersburg, 
asked the Princess point blank what castle she was 
named after, as he could never remember it. The 
reader may imagine how the remark was received. 

284 



Prince and Princess Bariatinsky 

I hasten to add that though the story was repeated 
everywhere, I assume no responsibility for its accuracy. 

The Princess Bariatinsky was by birth and posi- 
tion one of the greatest ladies in Russia. She bore 
herself regally, and her manners were a model in their 
way. In the black cashmere, of which her gowns were 
made almost continually since her widowhood, she 
looked every inch a queen, so imposing did she appear. 

In her youth her house had been a centre of pleas- 
ant hospitality, and until her death she gave dinners 
that were celebrated for their excellence and for the 
amiability with which she welcomed her guests. Her 
kindness in regard to young people was above praise. 
I was very fond of her, and extremely grateful for 
the many kindnesses I experienced at her hands, and 
I shall always remember her with a respectful affec- 
tion and sympathy. The house of the Princess had 
an importance in St. Petersburg it is almost impossible 
now to explain, so entirely have the conditions of 
existence changed since her death. Anyone who was 
not privileged to enter its doors felt somehow an 
inferior star in the social firmament of St. Petersburg, 
and yet the number of people admitted within its 
sacred precincts was relatively very limited. 

I knew also the Princess's husband, Prince Vladimir 
Bariatinsky, a very amiable man, who died a few years 
before his wife. Their only son also died earlier than 
his mother. At present the pretty house in the Million- 
naya Street, where she welcomed her friends with such 
simple cordiality, is nearly always closed. Her eldest 
daughter, to whom it now belongs and who is married 
to one of her cousins, also a Prince Bariatinsky, 

285 



Memories of Forty Years 

comes but seldom to St. Petersburg, preferring to 
remain in Rome, where she spends each winter in 
her lovely villa. 

The second daughter of the Princess Betsy, also 
called by that name, is the widow of a Count Schou- 
valoff, and lives in one of the most beautiful palaces in 
the capital. This palace on the Fontanka was the gift 
of the Emperor Alexander I. to his mistress, the famous 
Marie Antonovna Narischkine. The Countess Schouva- 
loff, like her mother was before her, is a very great 
lady of olden times, with grave, solemn manners ; not 
pretty, but possessing a splendid figure, that age 
has not succeeded in spoiling. She is extremely 
charming, and perhaps the most hospitable person in 
St. Petersburg, frequently giving sumptuous balls and 
receptions that are considered the most important 
in the winter season. 

But the most influential house the Russian capital 
can boast of is that of the Countess Marie Kleinmichel, 
which is the meeting place of the Diplomatic Corps, as 
well as of all the notable foreigners that ever arrive 
on the borders of the Neva. 

The Countess is pretty and clever ; she adores the 
world for the gossip that it brings to her, cares especi- 
ally for politics, and is always admirably well-informed 
as to everything that takes place in her own country, 
as well as in the rest of Europe. Everybody knows her 
in every important capital, be it London, Paris, Vienna, 
or Berlin. She is most useful to her friends and 
most dangerous to her enemies, an amusing woman, 
possessing unusual talent. Her mother was my first 
cousin, and my best friend. 

286 



Some of the Smart Set 

The Countess Solsky also gave very select receptions. 
The Princess Eugenie of Oldenburg often graced them 
with her presence, and they were always entertaining. 
But though the Countess was considered to be a very 
influential person in some quarters, one could hardly 
say that she kept open house, because her circle of 
friends and acquaintances was rather limited. 

In spite of the considerable number of years that 
have elapsed since her death, I should like to mention 
Madame Marie Dournoff, the daughter of the Princess 
Helene Kotchoubey. She was quite charming, not 
only as regards face and figure, but especially because 
of her sparkling wit, her brilliant conversation, her 
refined and delicate tastes, and the utter absence of 
affectation or of banality. There was a time when 
she exercised a real and great influence over St. Peters- 
burg society ; later on, however, she retired from the 
social whirl, and used to spend her time with a small 
circle of intimate friends. She was enormously rich and 
lived in a sumptuous house on the English Quay, 
which she was not destined to enjoy for many years, 
as she died whilst still young. 

The smart set used also to meet at the house of 
Princess Alexandrine Lobanoff, the sister of the Prin- 
cess Betsy Bariatinsky, an exceedingly clever woman. 
Then there was the salon of the Countess Alexandrine 
Tolstoy, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, who had 
superintended the education of the Grand Duchess 
Marie Alexandrovna, now Duchess Dowager of Co- 
burg, also a very distinguished person, where most 
of the intellectual and literary world of St. Petersburg 
congregated. The notable writers of the day were 

287 



Memories of Forty Years 

also to be seen often at the house of Mademoiselle 
Daria Toutscheff, the daughter of the poet of that 
name, and the sister of Madame Aksakoff, the widow 
of the famous Slavophil journalist. Mademoiselle Tout- 
scheff was a person of lightning wit, who for many 
years was attached to the person of the late Empress 
Marie Alexandrovna. These two ladies lived at the 
Winter Palace, as also did the Countess Antoinette 
Bloudoff, another remarkable character, whose firm, 
strong intelligence could compete with that of the 
greatest thinkers of her time. 

The Countess had been the intimate friend of my 
grandmother, and treated me always with a motherly 
tenderness. When she died after a long and painful 
illness, I experienced one of the great sorrows of my 
life, because I loved her with quite a filial affection, 
and used to go to see her almost daily. 

Madame Catherine Balaschoff, the sister of the 
Countess Woronzoff Dachkoff, and a woman of exquis- 
ite natural grace, also gave receptions during the winter 
season. Her parties were numerous and very solemn 
but pleasant, principally on account of the extreme 
good taste that prevailed. The house in which she 
lived was sumptuous, and its arrangement admirable 
in the simple luxury prevailing. 

The Princess Soltykoff also entertained largely 
before the marriage of her three daughters. She had 
been, and still was, one of the most beautiful women 
in Russia, and the youngest of four sisters, who had 
all been conspicuous for their good looks and clever- 
ness. I will only mention briefly the receptions of 
Count and Countess Orloff Davidoff in their house 

288 



Princess Youssoupoff 

of the Sergievskaya, with its hospitable traditions. 
Their father and father-in-law, old Count Orloff Davi- 
doff, whom I can still remember, used to give wonder- 
ful entertainments that were always honoured with 
the presence of the Emperor and Empress. 

Young Princess Youssoupoff, the richest woman in 
Russia, sometimes opened the doors of her magnificent 
Palace of the Moyka to her friends, but did not do so 
often. Though blessed with all the good things of 
this earth, sorrow has not spared her, and since the 
tragic death of a beloved son she is seldom seen in 
society. 

But without exception the most attractive person- 
ality in St. Petersburg was the late Princess Leonille 
Menschikoff, a brilliant, impetuous woman, of brusque 
manners and sharp tongue, and yet the greatest of 
great ladies. She lived more frequently abroad than 
in Russia, but sometimes made a short sojourn in 
the capital, where she gave one or two marvellous 
balls or entertainments. She was original, sometimes 
strange and bizarre in her tastes and mind, and she 
was endowed with a particular charm that was 
eminently distinctive. 



289 



CHAPTER VIII 

PRETTY WOMEN AND AMIABLE MEN 

IN the 'eighties there were many pretty women in 
St. Petersburg. I do not know whether it is the 
present fashion, or whether people's ideas as to beauty 
have changed, but it seems to me that what was con- 
sidered to be lovely at the time of my youth no longer 
constitutes beauty, nor are there so many good-looking 
women as there were twenty or thirty years ago. One 
reason, I think, is that sport, to which girls are so 
devoted, has robbed them of a good deal of the old- 
time feminine grace. They can neither walk, nor 
dance, nor move about with the ease and the dignity 
of their mothers and grandmothers. Sharpness in tone 
as well as in manners has taken the place of the soft- 
ness and politeness of former days. The fashions of 
to-day are not becoming ; even at the risk of being 
called old-fashioned I cannot help regretting the slender, 
willow waists which were the vogue when I was young. 
It would be next to impossible to mention by name 
all the beautiful faces that added so much brilliance 
to every fashionable entertainment of the period. I 
shall, however, try to recall a few. One of the loveliest 
creatures I ever met was Madame Catherine Tolstoy, 
called Kitty by her friends. Her Madonna-like features 
and straight profile were the despair of any painter 

290 



Beautiful Madame Tolstoy 

who attempted to reproduce them on canvas or paper. 
The Duchess de Sermoneta was perhaps more regularly 
beautiful, the Countess de Villeneuve more dazzling, 
to mention only these two ; but neither of them 
possessed the sweet, wonderful eyes that made Madame 
Tolstoy so extraordinarily fascinating, nor had they 
her indescribable charm. With all her physical quali- 
ties, she was good, kind, amiable, sweet, and charm- 
ing. These were the characteristics of her youth, and 
she has retained them to this day. Age has not de- 
stroyed the beauty of her features, and her white hair 
only adds to her attraction. If I were a man, I think 
I would commit any folly for the sake of Madame 
Tolstoy. 

Of late sorrow has fallen upon Madame Tolstoy 
by the death of her husband. It is all the more sad 
because just before his death they had taken a pretty 
house in Paris, which she has furnished with con- 
summate taste. She is a grandmother, and makes 
no secret of the fact, nor of the years that have 
passed over her head. 

Princess Lise Volkhonsky, of whom I shall have 
something more to say presently, had also been in her 
youth a very handsome woman. Imposing and digni- 
fied in her manners, her bearing was that of a great 
lady. Of Zina Beauharnais, the lovely creature who 
broke so many hearts by her indifference, and was 
quite unconscious of the feelings which she inspired, 
I have already spoken. There were also the two 
Kourakine sisters, the daughters of the Princess Anatole 
Kourakine, the eldest of whom married Prince Sha- 
hovskoy, and is already a grandmother, whilst the 

291 



Memories of Forty Years 

younger one is the wife of M. Schebeko, the Russian 
diplomat. They were both considered the prettiest 
girls in society, as well as the most charming. 

Another lovely woman was little Princess Salome 
of Mingrelia, who later married Prince Obolensky, and 
who represented the Georgian type in all its purity. 
Madame Polovtsov, the adopted daughter of old Baron 
Stieglitz and heiress to his millions, had also been 
amongst the renowned beauties of her generation ; I 
only met her when her daughters were my own age, 
but even then she could have rivalled many pretty 
women in their prime. Then there was Madame 
Scheremetieff {nee Salovoy), in whose faultless features 
one could guess the brilliant loveliness that had been 
hers in her younger days, and whose daughter, the 
Baroness Knorring, resembles her by the charm of 
her manners, as well as by the beauty of her soft 
hazel eyes. In her youth Princess Youssoupoff had 
been considered a pretty woman. She was, too, so 
pleasant and amiable that she was considered one of 
the most popular women in St. Petersburg society. 
She was also the greatest heiress in Russia, the owner 
of fine palaces, estates, and jewels, accumulated by 
the several generations of millionaires from whom she 
had descended. Her only surviving son — the elder one 
having been killed in a duel under tragic circumstances 
a few years ago — married hardly a year ago the 
Princess Irene of Russia, only daughter of the Grand 
Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and the granddaughter 
of the late Tsar Alexander III. 

The most elegant and best-dressed woman in St. 
Petersburg was, and still is, the Princess Olga Orloff, 

292 



Gaieties of St. Petersburg 

who is almost as well known in Paris and London as 
she is in Russia. She is no longer young, but irre- 
sistibly graceful. Her sister, the Princess Kotchoubey, 
whose husband is one of the personal friends of the 
present Emperor, was very beautiful in her youth ; 
whilst their mother, the Princess Nadine Belosselsky, 
the sister of the Countess Zina Beauharnais, and 
of the famous General Skobeleff, was far handsomer 
than even her daughters, and one of the most celebrated 
beauties of her generation. 

The daughters of Count Woronzoff Dachkoff were 
also pretty girls, though far from attaining their 
mother's loveliness. The Princess Annette Soltykoff, 
as well as her sister, the Princess Mary Dolgorouky, 
now Countess Benckendorff, have each been famous 
beauties. 

Yes, a ball in St. Petersburg at that time was a 
pretty sight indeed ! The women were attractive, 
either by their beauty or by their wit, and the men 
too — at least those whom one used to meet often in 
society — were pleasant, and did not avoid the society 
of ladies, as they so often do to-day. The military 
cadets and pupils of privileged schools, who at pre- 
sent constitute the most solid contingent of dancing 
men, were not at that time allowed to be present 
until they had completed their education. 

The young officers in the various crack regiments 
went about a great deal in society, which they no 
longer do nowadays. The chevaliers gardes, of which 
regiment the Empress Marie Feodorovna was chief, 
were particularly in request at all entertainments in 
society. During the last years of the reign of the 

293 



Memories of Forty Years 

late Emperor, the Preobrajensky Regiment, which had 
been commanded for a considerable time by the Grand 
Duke Serge Alexandrovitch, began to appear more 
than formerly at the smartest balls of the winter 
season, whilst it became fashionable for young men 
belonging by birth to the highest aristocracy to seek 
to join it. All these different elements made a ball 
in St. Petersburg, either at Court or in society, a very 
pretty thing to watch and to take part in. 

I have mentioned pleasant men. Many of my old 
friends have died, such as one of the two Princes 
Ouroussoff. The eldest, Prince Julius, alone survives. 
Then there was General Count Alexander Moussine 
Pouschkine, one of the handsomest and most brilliant 
men of his time ; and many others who, alas, are 
forgotten to-day. 

It is quite impossible to think about these dead 
years without associating them with the Empress 
Marie Feodorovna. Time has sat lightly upon her, 
because she has kept her youthful looks in a quite 
marvellous way, and though she is past sixty, she 
scarcely looks more than thirty-five. Her beautiful 
eyes have been clouded by many bitter tears, but 
yet they have retained their expressive softness, and 
her smile the sweetness that made it so charming. 



294 



CHAPTER IX 

PRINCESS LISE VOLKHONSKY 

1HAVE mentioned that Princess Lise Volkhonsky 
deserves something more than a mere remem- 
brance. She was one of the most remarkable women 
of her time, not only by reason of her beauty, but also 
for her many charms, her cleverness, and strength of 
character. She was the wife of Prince Michael Volk- 
honsky, the son of that Prince Volkhonsky who was 
sentenced to penal servitude in Siberia for having taken 
part in the plot still called in Russia the conspira- 
tion of the Decembrists, through which the Emperor 
Nicholas I. nearly lost his throne. Volkhonsky had 
been one of its leaders, and paid a heavy price for his 
error. His wife, refusing, to her honour, to accept 
her freedom, did not hesitate to share his fate, and 
in the snows of Siberia she lived for many years, 
cheering her husband's exile and giving birth to several 
children, one of whom became the husband of his 
lovely cousin, the Princess Lise. 

Prince Michael Volkhonsky was restored to his 
father's titles and estates only during the reign of 
Alexander II., and he had a subsequent brilliant ad- 
ministrative career. He was persona grata at Court, 
very wealthy and clever, with rather a caustic turn 
of mind, but an exceedingly pleasant and interesting 

295 



Memories of Forty Years 

talker. He was fond of entertaining, a taste that his 
wife shared with him, and the couple gave sumptuous 
receptions, at which the Emperor and Empress were 
frequently present. They had several sons, every one 
clever, especially Prince Sergius, who subsequently 
became Director of the Imperial Theatres, and his 
third brother, Vladimir, who for some years occupied 
the responsible position of Vice-president of the Duma. 
Their only daughter, Princess Mary, now lives most 
of the year in Rome, where so many Russians are 
domiciled. 

Princess Lise Volkhonsky, as I have already said, 
was a cousin of her husband's, also a Princess Volk- 
honsky by birth. She had grave manners, but withal 
could be pleasant ; she had the dignified demeanour 
of a queen, and could very well convey to the guests 
she entertained in her house that she had conferred 
a favour on them by inviting them to enter it. Her 
intelligence was quite out of the common, and would, 
I believe, have been even more appreciated than it 
was had she not been quite so pedantic. 

When I knew her she was past middle age, so that 
I cannot say what she might have been in her youth, 
but at the time I was introduced to her she was ex- 
tremely intolerant of the light conversations that com- 
pose the small talk one generally hears in society. 
She only cared to discuss grave and serious questions 
of world-wide interest, and she was more a humani- 
tarian than a lover of humanity. 

Her erudition was something wonderful; she could 
easily have put to shame many a studious old Bene- 
dictine monk. She had spent a considerable part of 

296 



A High-Born Seceder 

her life in Italy, especially in Rome, where she had 
met many learned theologians and archaeologists, and 
whenever she was able to return to Italy she sought 
their society with avidity. Pious by temperament 
and by nature, she had fallen under the influence of 
the Jesuits, and after having studied the history of the 
Roman Church under their guidance and inspiration, 
she wrote several remarkably clever monographs and 
books, advocating the union of the Greek and Catholic 
Churches, a subject that had always interested her, and 
which was very near her heart during the latter years 
of her life. 

The end of these literary dreams was the con- 
version of the Princess to the Catholic faith, a thing 
which then was still a most rare incident among the 
Russian high aristocracy, where attachment to the 
religion of the country was considered indispensable 
to all well-born people. That conversion — which, it 
must be added, she did not flaunt before the eyes of 
her friends and family — became nevertheless known 
in society, where it caused a mild scandal. But the 
Princess was not subjected to annoyance concern- 
ing it, and it was really only at her death that the 
outside world became aware of the fact, through the 
necessity of burying her according to the rites of the 
faith she had embraced. Her husband would have 
greatly preferred to have her obsequies solemnised by 
the Greek Church, but there M. Pobedonostseff, the 
dreaded Procurator of the Holy Synod, interfered, and 
refused his consent to an act of hypocrisy, against 
which probably the ardent and straightforward soul of 
the Princess Lise would have been the first to revolt ; 

297 



Memories of Forty Years 

and so for the first time in the annals of the Volk- 
honsky family one of its most illustrious representa- 
tives was accompanied to her grave by the prayers 
of an alien Church. 

Princess Lise was of an extremely autocratic 
character ; she would not brook contradiction, no 
matter in what shape or form it presented itself to 
her. She had, I believe, a very high opinion of her 
own intelligence, though she did not show it openly ; 
she nevertheless contrived to make for herself many 
enemies through the disdainful manner in which she 
treated the people who seemed to her to be not on 
her own mental level. But once she felt a sym- 
pathetic attraction to anyone, she gave a strong and 
faithful friendship, which never swerved in its loyalty 
through good report or ill. She was slightly dis- 
dainful of others, but though she did not care to 
show it, it became difficult for her not to do so, because 
she was frankness itself, and the honesty and straight- 
forwardness of her character did not allow her to 
dissemble. 

It would have been difficult to meet a woman 
more abreast of the literary movement of her time. 
No serious or important book, whether in her own 
language or another, remained unknown to her, and 
one could not help sometimes wondering where she 
found the time to read so many books studiously, for 
she was able to tell you by heart the subject-matter 
of every volume that she had read. 

Hasty in character but cold in demeanour, she 
was not easy to understand properly, and it was even 
more difficult to guess her thoughts or to realise all 

298 



Princess Volkhonsky's Home Circle 

the passions that fought against each other in her 
ardent soul. When once one had met her it was 
impossible to remain indifferent where she was con- 
cerned, and one could only either love or detest her, 
but no matter which of these two feelings she inspired, 
one always felt interested. She was entirely different 
from the ordinary run ; sometimes she was hard, 
sometimes hasty, and ever stubborn ; but with it 
all, noble, great, generous, and grand, with an utter 
absence of meanness. 

Princess Volkhonsky received a small circle of 
friends in the early hours of the evening, apart from 
the large entertainments that she gave, which became 
somewhat more scarce in the last years of her life, 
and if one had had the honour to be asked to enter 
that circle, some remarkably entertaining hours were 
spent at her fireside. In my mind's eye I can still see 
that large room hung with red silk, not overcrowded 
with furniture, and rather stiff in arrangement. Princess 
Lise's wide arm-chair was placed close to a round 
table, on which stood a lamp with its large shade. 
It was then that one found the best opportunity of 
studying her and listening to her grave, serious talk, 
and in such moods she sometimes allowed the secret 
of her inner thoughts to escape her, and permitted 
others to read into her soul. It was during these 
quiet evenings she revealed herself as a totally superior 
woman, devoid of prejudices and preconceived notions, 
absorbed in the highest problems of the human heart 
and thought. 

The Princess, perhaps on account of her conversion 
to Catholicism, liked to have members of the Roman 

299 



Memories of Forty Years 

clergy about her, and, as I have already mentioned, 
used to indulge in dreams concerning the eventual 
union of the Latin and Greek Churches. One of her 
most frequent visitors was the famous philosopher, 
Vladimir Solovieff, whose grave and wonderful intelli- 
gence harmonised so well with her own. Solovieff was 
a most curious type. His ascetic face, with its long, 
falling hair, offered a vague likeness to the head of 
Christ such as it appears to us on the veil of Veronica, 
and such as it had been preserved to us by tradition. 
Solovieff also spent his existence dreaming impossible 
dreams, and though deeply religious, had, I believe, 
no religion in the sense that ordinary people attribute 
to that word. He used to live in very high regions 
of human thought, engrossed in metaphysical studies, 
longing after an era of universal peace and general 
concord of all the nations of the world, and he too, 
as well as the Princess, indulged in the illusion of the 
possibility of a union of Rome with St. Petersburg, 
which he preached in all his works with a vehemence 
that often over-reached itself. 

I met Solovieff very often at Princess Volk- 
honsky's, and I also saw him in my own house, where 
he used to come from time to time. He interested 
me deeply, though on many questions our opinions 
were diametrically opposed. I used to find him too 
idealistic by far, and I could not understand the 
vivacity with which he spent his strength in pursuing 
what I considered to be chimeras. But I liked to 
hear him talk, and his attitude of an Apostle exercised 
a great fascination upon me, as indeed upon all those 
who had the opportunity to observe his demeanour. In 

300 



The Princess and Solovieff 

hearing him expound his ideas and convictions one 
could easily transport oneself to the early days of 
Christianity at the time when the religion of Jesus 
was preached to the world by enthusiasts. 

Solovieff used also to speak of the necessity of 
mortifying the flesh and of renouncing worldly joys, 
in the hope of an eternity of bliss ; and one felt 
the influence of his words, even whilst one's mind 
refused to share the illusions that inspired him. He 
was perhaps the one man who could understand 
Princess Lise Volkhonsky, and so followed naturally 
their friendship for each other, as well as the sym- 
pathy that united their two hearts. 



301 



CHAPTER X 

FAMOUS DIPLOMATS 

FOR many years the doyen of the Diplomatic Corps 
in St. Petersburg was General von Schweinitz, 
who for seventeen years was the German Ambassador. 
Formerly he had been a member of the household of 
the Emperor Frederick III. in the days when Frederick 
was still Crown Prince. He had been very much 
liked by his Royal master, and was considered as one 
of his personal and most trusted friends. Indeed, 
Prince Bismarck at one time became alarmed as to 
the consequences this friendship might bring about, 
and General, then Colonel, von Schweinitz was obliged 
to abandon his post in order to take up a diplomatic 
appointment, first in Vienna and then in St. Peters- 
burg. He was an exceedingly intelligent and clever 
man, who knew Russia intimately and was conversant 
with the intricacies of Russian politics. His char- 
acter was frank and loyal ; he worked with sin- 
cerity towards a thorough understanding between the 
Cabinet of St. Petersburg and that of Berlin, and he 
certainly saw farther than those who were at the head 
of the Russian as well as of the German Government. 
He was, moreover, imbued with the traditions of a 
former time, when the two reigning houses of Romanoff 
and Hohenzollern had been united by closest ties. 

302 



General von Schweinitz 

Prince Bismarck liked and respected him, and the 
Emperor Alexander III. had professed great esteem 
as well as friendship for him, following thus the 
example set to him by his father, of whom General 
von Schweinitz had been a favourite. 

The General's aims were essentially of a pacific 
nature, and his great experience of public affairs was 
constantly at the service of the cause of peace. Never- 
theless, thanks to external circumstances, he felt 
somehow that his position had changed, and requested 
his recall from St. Petersburg before the tide of 
French sympathy had carried everything before it, and 
forced upon him the feeling that his influence had 
become less powerful than that of Count de Monte- 
bello, to whose efforts, principally, was due the close 
intercourse of Russia with the Third Republic. Every- 
body was regretful when General von Schweinitz left 
Russia, his colleagues of the Diplomatic Corps, the 
Foreign Office, where he was as much liked as respected, 
and also Society as a whole, so popular had he always 
been. On the evening he started for Berlin the Warsaw 
railway station was crowded with people assembled 
to wish him good-bye. 

He was succeeded in his delicate and difficult post 
by General von Werder, formerly military attache, 
who had also been in Russia for many years, and 
whom his friends considered almost more Russian 
than German. He was one of the few people whom 
Alexander II. admitted to the intimacy of his family 
life, and allowed to become friends with his second 
wife, the Princess Yourievsky. General von Werder 
was kind-hearted, frank, sincere, incapable of deceiving 

303 



Memories of Forty Years 

even a foe ; a real soldier, with a soldier's frankness, 
Avhich he often used and even sometimes abused. 
But it is to be questioned whether he was quite the 
man in the right place, or astute enough to discover 
and to fight intrigue. He was extremely fond of St. 
Petersburg, and was delighted when sent back to the 
banks of the Neva as an Ambassador. His joy was 
not long lived, however, because he was suddenly re- 
called in the most unexpected manner, both the 
Emperor William and the Chancellor, Prince Hohen- 
lohe, having felt displeased at the want of foresight 
which he displayed when he had allowed the alliance 
with France to be concluded under his very eyes. 
He was therefore asked to retire, being made aware 
in an almost brutal manner that his services were 
no longer required. Prince Hohenlohe sent him, by 
special messenger, a letter bluntly signifying to him 
that he was to present his letters of recall imme- 
diately. 

He was succeeded by Prince Radolin, a former 
favourite of the Iron Chancellor, and occupying a 
responsible position in the household of the Emperor 
Frederick III. Prince Radolin was a Pole, which fact 
accounts perhaps for his personification of the man 
*' ondoyant el divers" of whom speaks old Montaigne. 
Apart from this, he had an engaging personality, and 
was the husband of a charming wife. But notwith- 
standing these two advantages and his large fortune, 
which allowed him to entertain on a considerable scale, 
he did not succeed in achieving popularity in St. Peters- 
burg. He managed, in particular, to get into the black 
books of the Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, who made no 

304 



Some British Ambassadors 

secret of her enmity. No surprise was felt when he 
was transferred to Paris, where he spent a long time 
and made many more friendships than had been the 
case in Russia. 

During the years I was in St. Petersburg, Austria 
had been successively represented by Count Volken- 
stein, the husband of Countess Schleinitz, and later 
on by Prince Francis of Liechtenstein, the brother of 
the reigning Prince of that name. He was as haughty 
as the Austrian nobility generally are, but concealed 
it under an amiable exterior. He represented his 
Sovereign very well, and had the reputation of being 
a shrewdly intelligent man, notwithstanding which he 
did not remain long in Russia. I think he never felt 
quite at home, and did not like being the cynosure of 
all eyes ; it interfered with the liberty his indepen- 
dent character appreciated more than anything else. 
I have never met any of his successors. 

I used to go very often to the English Embassy at 
the time when Sir Edward Thornton was at its head. 
Lady Thornton was an amiable woman with two ex- 
ceedingly attractive daughters, and their house was a 
most agreeable one for their numerous friends. When 
Sir Edward was transferred to Constantinople he was 
succeeded in St. Petersburg by Sir Robert Morier, who 
had the reputation of being unusually clever and an 
enterprising diplomat. His daughter made a multitude 
of friends in the smart set of the capital. 

I did not see much of the Moriers, who I believe 
did not consider me elegant enough to be admitted 
among their intimate friends ; but I frequently visited 
their successors, Sir Edward and Lady Lascelles, under 

u 305 



Memories of Forty Years 

whose auspices the English Embassy became one of 
the most charming houses in St. Petersburg, as well as 
one of the most entertaining ; and Sir Edward was even 
one of the witnesses of the marriage of my second 
daughter with Prince Blucher von Wahlstadt. 

It was towards the end of the reign of Alexander 
III. that Count and Countess de Montebello arrived 
in St. Petersburg, and they succeeded almost at once 
in making for themselves an unparalleled ambassa- 
dorial position. Under their predecessors M. and 
Madame de Laboulaye, the doors of the French Em- 
bassy had not often been opened, and its few func- 
tions had savoured of austerity and strict etiquette. 
When the Montebellos came, everything changed. 
They displayed lavish hospitality to the people they 
came to know very well, just as much as to those 
with whom they enjoyed but a passing acquaintance. 
The Countess was fond of society in general, and 
also fond of giving entertainments, which materially 
helped them to become very popular. She was enor- 
mously rich, being the granddaughter and only heiress 
of old Madame Chevreux Aubertot, the owner of one 
of the largest and best shops in Paris. The Countess, 
too, was clever, amiable, merry, with a great knowledge 
of the world, and a certain careless politeness ; thus 
she reaped a considerable harvest of success, surpass- 
ing even her own highest expectations. 

To visit the Montebellos' very soon became the 
one great thing, and any invitation to their house was 
eagerly accepted, equally by members of the Imperial 
family as by the most notable persons of the town and 
Court. The Countess possessed to perfection the art 

306 



Count de Montebello 

of imparting animation to her receptions and of ex- 
cluding stiffness ; and it must be said, to her honour, 
that she was just as amiable and pleasant towards 
a functionary arriving from a distant province and 
believing himself obliged to pay a call at the French 
Embassy, as to any member of the most fashionable 
set in the capital. 

Count de Montebello, who was slightly over- 
shadowed by the effusive personality of his lively 
wife, was a diplomat such as they were supposed to 
be in olden times before the telegraph and telephone 
had in a certain sense done away with initiative. He 
had preserved the traditions of his youth, and was 
just as much absorbed by the exigencies of the pro- 
tocol of etiquette as by those connected with the 
preservation of European peace. He was a quiet, 
sedate man, an excellent worker, and a polite, well- 
bred gentleman. His staff was devoted to him, 
because he showed much kind care for his subordin- 
ates, and was quite fatherly in regard to the young 
secretaries and attaches placed under his orders ; 
indeed, wherever he went he succeeded in inspiring 
strong sympathies. 

The mission of Count and Countess de Montebello 
in St. Petersburg during the ten years or so that it 
lasted contributed considerably to the consolidation of 
the Franco-Russian Alliance, and hastened its definite 
conclusion. They contrived to make themselves appre- 
ciated, and smoothed away by their tact certain un- 
pleasant impressions that existed amongst Russian 
society even more than in Court circles, in regard to 
the French Government and the Republican regime. 

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Memories of Forty Years 

When they were recalled, owing to jealousies which 
their growing popularity had evoked in France, their 
departure was sincerely regretted. 

Beyond these successive occupants of the great 
ambassadorial posts, there were other interesting per- 
sonalities in the diplomatic ranks. The Danish Minister 
was, perhaps, the most important, owing to the fact 
that he represented the native country of the Empress, 
and was consequently treated with particular dis- 
tinction. For a long time General de Kjoers, who had 
some relationship to the Royal Family of Denmark, 
was in possession of the post, and was very much 
liked, not only at Court, but also in society. He was 
invited everywhere, and his daughters were also ap- 
preciated for their wit and charming manners. 
When the General died, his successor inherited the 
advantages of his position, but hardly his popu- 
larity. 

Spain had been represented for more years than 
people cared to count by the Marquis de Campo 
Sagrado, the morganatic brother-in-law of Queen Isa- 
bella, married to her half-sister, the daughter of Queen 
Christina, and the Due de Rianzares. The Marquis 
was about the stoutest man I have ever seen, and 
had all the joviality supposed to belong to fat persons. 
He was essentially un bon vivant, fond of good wines, 
good cheer, and pretty women, with whom he was a 
favourite, notwithstanding his immense corpulence. 
He had also contrived to be accepted in a set presided 
over by the Grand Duke Alexis, brother of the Emperor, 
and no fashionable entertainment took place without 
his being invited to it. He lived in St. Petersburg 

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Marquis de Gampo Sagrado 

as a lonely bachelor ; the Marchioness, whose fortune 
he had spent, and whose heart he was said to have 
broken, had at last separated from him and settled 
at Biarritz. Two of his daughters, however, came 
to Russia one winter, and did the honours of the 
Spanish Legation for their father. They were both 
remarkably handsome, and excited a good deal of 
admiration wherever they went. The eldest one was 
already married to a Spanish grandee, Count Guen- 
doulein ; whilst the younger was united a few years 
later to a member of the Spanish Royal Family, Don 
Luis de Bourbon, Duke of Ansola. She became a 
widow very soon, and is at present married to a 
Spanish diplomat, Don Mendez de Vigo. 

The Marquis de Campo Sagrado was fond of St. 
Petersburg, of its society, and of the position which 
he enjoyed in it ; he would have asked nothing better 
than to be allowed to end his days in Russia ; but 
unfortunately for him, his creditors, which were legion, 
were not of the same opinion, and began to clamour 
for their money with such energy that he had at last 
to leave Russia before having even presented officially 
his letters of recall, which were handed over by his 
successor, in order that he should remain until the 
end covered by his diplomatic immunity from pursuit 
by his irate creditors. 

That successor was Count Villagonzala, a charming 
man, whose wide, fan-shaped beard gave rise to many 
jests in the worst possible taste. He entertained more 
than did the Marquis, and his cook deserves to be 
remembered with gratitude by all those who tasted 
his sauces. The Count was a perfect gentleman, and 

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Memories of Forty Years 

a favourite with the Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, 
at whose five o'clock teas he put in an appearance 
almost every day. 

As for Italy, its embassy was very animated whilst 
Baron Marochetti was at its head, and its honours 
were done by his amiable wife. I do not think I was 
ever at the Embassy after their departure ; but whilst 
the Baroness presided over it I went to one or two 
balls which, by general consent, were considered to 
have been magnificent. 

Sweden's representative at that time was Baron 
Reuterskjold, married to a very pleasant woman, who 
was at once received into the smartest set. The 
Netherlands Legation was in possession of Baron van 
Stoetwegen, a man of great, but caustic, wit, whose 
conversation was most entertaining even when it 
touched upon trivial subjects, but neither tinged with 
kindness nor with indulgence. I liked him very much, 
and cared for his wife too, who made a most amiable 
hostess. The couple gave excellent dinners, that de- 
serve not to be forgotten. 

There were other personalities among the diplomats 
accredited at that time at the St. Petersburg Court, 
whom I like to remember, because they were cultured 
and entertaining in conversation. Among them may 
be mentioned the Councillor of the Italian Embassy, 
Count Bottaro Costa, who was a general favourite ; 
Count Vauvineux, first secretary at the French Embassy, 
an entirely charming man ; and the German Councillor, 
Baron Tchirscky, quite recently their Ambassador in 
Vienna. His wife was one of the most attractive per- 
sons I have ever met, and who, living in a very pretty 

310 



Charm of St. Petersburg 

apartment, frequently entertained their friends in a 
quiet way. 

All these elements put together constituted a charm- 
ing whole, and contributed to make St. Petersburg an 
agreeable place to live in, especially when, as was the 
case with me, one had as many friends among the 
Diplomatic Corps as among local society. Dullness 
could be easily avoided, and dull people equally so. 
The more I think of these years in my life, the more 
happy I feel to have lived them, and I cling to their 
remembrance as reminding me of something very nice, 
very pleasant, which perhaps one would not care to 
see revived, but which one would feel sorry indeed not 
to have known. 



311 



CHAPTER XI 

JOURNALISM IN RUSSIA 

WHEN the late Emperor Alexander III. ascended 
the throne, the most popular daily newspaper 
in Russia was the Golos, the controller of which was a 
man of infinite tact and high intelligence, M. Kraiev- 
ski, who was thoroughly conversant with the state of 
the public mind as well as the process of evolution 
public thought was passing through. He edited his 
paper in the most liberal spirit, and without doubt 
its opinions had supreme weight in forming and direct- 
ing public opinion during the critical transformation 
brought about in the moral and intellectual standard 
of the nation by the reforms of Alexander II., and 
later on by the recrudescence of Nihilism which fol- 
lowed the Turkish war. 

M. Kraievski carried on the editorship of his paper 
together with his son-in-law, M. Bilbassoff, one of the 
most eminent historians since the days of Karamzine, 
the author of the admirable " History of Catherine II." 
Bilbassoff was not in the good graces of the govern- 
ment on account of his advanced political opinions. 
He was one of the most interesting men modern 
Russia had produced. I used to see him sometimes 
at the house of my good friends, the Wischnegradskys, 
where one could often meet him. 

312 



The Censor at Work 

Every time I had the opportunity to have a talk 
with M. Bilbassoff I seized the occasion with no little 
alacrity. He had something of the spirit of crit- 
icism which I had had occasion to notice in John 
Morley, and before that in the great Ranke. He was 
inclined, as they were, to seek the explanation of cer- 
tain facts in the causes from which they had evolved. 
His history of the great Catherine had been at first for- 
bidden by the censor. This caused him to submit the 
manuscript to Alexander III., who read it with interest, 
and after having done so authorised its publication. 

To return to the Golos and its proprietor. It was 
so widely read and well edited that the best writers 
of the day were proud to be allowed to contribute, 
and their sharp criticisms were feared even by strong 
and powerful ministers. It held its own against the 
famous Third Section whilst the latter still existed, and 
entirely led public opinion up and down the country. 
When Count Dmitri Tolstoy became Minister of the 
Interior in succession to Count Ignatieff, the Golos fell 
under the weight of his displeasure. It was suppressed, 
and with it the public lost a paper always well informed, 
always independent, and which, during its short but 
eventful career, had never sold its birthright, but had 
fearlessly gone its way, defending the liberal principles 
it represented. 

After the suppression of the Golos, the Novoie Vremia 
began to shine, though not without difficulty, in the 
journalistic sky of St. Petersburg. Its owner, Alexis 
Souvorine, was not yet well known, and few believed 
he had enough talent to outrival Kraievski himself, 
who up to then had been considered as the father 

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Memories of Forty Years 

of modern Russian journalism. Souvorine, however, 
possessed an immense intelligence, and knew by in- 
stinct what the public required at certain moments. 
In that he differed from the editor of the Golos, who 
wanted to lead public opinion. He understood that 
if he wanted to become popular he must allow public 
opinion to believe it led him and his paper, and that 
it expressed the wishes of the moment. Therein lay 
the secret of his success, and of the strength which the 
Novoie Vremia acquired under his leadership. Very 
soon it reached an assured position, and it has kept 
it to this day, notwithstanding the fact that at present 
it is a purely official and governmental organ, which, 
in justice to Souvorine, it must be said it never was 
in his lifetime. Souvorine was a genius in his way, 
and no journalist has mastered better than he did 
the intricacies inseparable from his profession, or 
has known better how to guess the fluctuations of the 
mind of the public with whom he had to deal. Under 
his management, the Novoie Vremia became the one 
indispensable newspaper, especially to those deeply 
interested in public affairs. It was found every- 
where, even in the hands of people utterly opposed 
to its opinions. Souvorine has been accused of oppor- 
tunism. This accusation was not quite unjust in regard 
to the direction which he gave to his organ, but it 
could not be applied to his personal opinions. These 
varied but seldom, and perhaps less than they 
would have done had he considered with more atten- 
tion, and less from the point of view of the proprietor 
of a journal, the history of his country during the event- 
ful years when he was bombarding abuses needing 

314 



Journalistic Realisations 

redress, and exposing false ideas requiring modification. 
In the Novoie Vremia, however, he held that he ought 
to watch and to follow the transformations of the 
public mind, and to express the opinions and ideas 
of its readers. 

He was not quite wrong in this if one takes into 
consideration that his principal care was the material 
prosperity of his paper, and that the latter could only 
remain assured if it was upheld by its readers and 
subscribers, as well as by the mass of general opinion. 
No one in Russia had realised this fact before him, 
and each unit of the press, especially the daily papers, 
had always looked upon itself as the apostle of the 
principles professed by its editors, without considering 
in the least its public. 

One must not forget that at the time I am writing 
Russian experience in journalism was most limited, 
and perhaps this was why so many journalistic ven- 
tures ended disastrously. Souvorine realised the fact 
very quickly, and managed to influence his collabor- 
ators so as to induce them to accept it too. When he 
died some two years ago, the Novoie Vremia had 
become a power before whom the whole country 
bowed. By power I do not mean influence ; I do 
not think the Russian Thunderer wields much of the 
latter at the present moment, in spite of its enormous 
circulation and vast resources. 

Personally, Alexis Souvorine was most interesting. 
In spite of his immense talents he had known dark 
days, and his early experiences in journalism had been 
most difficult and painful. He had never forgotten the 
fact, which imbued him with an immense pity for the 

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Memories of Forty Years 

sufferings of others. His purse was always open, and 
he liked to give encouragement to those starting out 
on the path of life. That kind old man, bent with the 
weight of his years, made one of the most indulgent 
of masters, and all who came into contact with him 
departed with a feeling of deep gratitude and respect 
for this father of modern journalism in Russia. 

Souvorine's house was a meeting place for the best 
intellects in St. Petersburg, and he always evinced a 
superlative interest in all the social developments of 
his Fatherland, as well as in its political influence 
in Europe. The war with Japan plunged him into a 
deep and lasting sorrow, but even in the darkest hours 
of Russia's national existence he never despaired, and 
died convinced still that his country would rise more 
powerful than ever from the disasters that had be- 
fallen her. 

One of the most bitter adversaries of Souvorine 
was Prince Mestchersky. His paper, the Grajdanine, 
represented the ultra-Conservative party in Russia. 
Its owner was the personal friend of the Emperor 
Alexander III., and taking into consideration that 
fact, he was allowed to say and to write many things 
that no one else would have ever dared to proclaim. 
The person of Prince Mestchersky has been passion- 
ately discussed. It is not my place to judge him, but 
I must render him justice and say that even in his 
most bitter polemics he remained a gentleman. He 
never deserted the order to which he belonged, nor 
the flag that his family traditions called upon him to 
defend. His extreme opinions did not procure him 
many sympathies ; on the contrary, he made a con- 

316 



Tolstoy and Tourguenieff 

siderable number of enemies, but he never changed, 
always remaining an absolutely sincere Conservative. 
However one differed from him in opinions, or even 
believed him to be mischievous, it was impossible to 
refuse him respect for his untarnished reputation as 
an honourable journalist. 

It is impossible not to refer to Count Leo Tolstoy, 
partly on account of the strange moral transformation 
which turned a wonderful novelist into the apostle of a 
new religion that no one but himself could understand. 
Many hoped that the dying words of Tourguenieff, 
when from his bed of suffering he wrote to Tolstoy, 
" Great writer of our Russian fatherland, go back to 
your literary work," would be listened to. But in 
vain. Indeed, the literary world was beginning vaguely 
to grasp the fact that an enormous intellect had lost 
itself in the mazes of a labyrinth out of which it was 
becoming every day more difficult for it to emerge. 
Already the lessons preached and the examples given 
by this missionary without any religion save that of 
his own imagination, had begun to give rise to con- 
troversy. It is impossible, without saying much, to 
do more than express the feeling that this man with a 
colossal mind, who had not succeeded in discovering 
peace for his own thoughts, had exercised an exceed- 
ingly strong influence over many others who, without 
him, would perhaps have found peace and happiness 
in the accomplishment of simple duties and in sub- 
mission to the will of God. 

During the whole reign of Alexander III. the press 
remained confined in very narrow limits, and played 
scarcely any part in public life. There was little to 

317 



Memories of Forty Years 

discuss during that period of the national existence, 
which was rather one of constant work, in which the 
Emperor was the first one to set the example. His 
ambitions were centred in the development of the vast 
country confided to his care, and in carving a path of 
material progress that was bound to lead his beloved 
Russia on to prosperity. He detested journalists, and 
he partly succeeded in suppressing them almost entirely, 
owing to the unbounded confidence which his person 
inspired. By no means did he wish to kill every 
manifestation of human thought, as he has been so 
accused ; but he directed it toward a useful channel 
instead of allowing it to dissipate in vague longings ; 
and in doing so he rendered one of his greatest services 
to Russia. 

With the death of the Emperor, the Japanese war, 
and all the developments that followed upon the 
events of 1905 and 1906, Russian journalism under- 
went a complete transformation. It is now fast be- 
coming more truly representative of the fourth estate 
which is so respected in the rest of Europe. News- 
papers begin to count for something and to acquire 
a certain importance. 

But much as I should like to, and curious as this 
transformation has been, I cannot speak about it 
with the authority of personal experience, for the 
reason that I was not living in Russia when these events 
took place. In Russia the press of to-day exists on 
a footing that would require a volume to make intel- 
ligible to the foreigner. 



318 



CHAPTER XII 

DEATH OF ALEXANDER III 

ON January 1st, 1894, the usual New Year's recep- 
tion took place at the Winter Palace. The 
Emperor seemed to be as well as ever, and showed 
himself particularly gracious in regard to the foreign 
ministers and ambassadors, who came to present their 
good wishes for the coming year. The Empress 
was radiant with beauty and grace, as she smiled 
on all the ladies assembled to bring her their greet- 
ings. The season began in a brilliant fashion, and 
the debutantes in particular expected much from it, 
because the eldest daughter of their Majesties, the 
Grand Duchess Xenia, was to go out into society for 
the first time that winter, and several balls in her 
honour were already announced. The first large re- 
ception at the Winter Palace was fixed for January 
10th, when society was startled by hearing that the 
Emperor had fallen dangerously ill. 

I heard the news a little earlier than did the general 
public, through General Tcherevine, who spent the 
evening with me on that particular day. Neither he 
nor myself, however, suspected the gravity of the 
crisis that had arisen, nor guessed its sad issue. 

The General thought that the indisposition of 
the Tsar was only a sharp attack of influenza, but 

319 



Memories of Forty Years 

nevertheless he seemed to be slightly uneasy, and ex- 
pressed the hope that it would not leave any traces 
after it. But he admitted that the great drawback 
to a quick convalescence lay in the fact that Alexander 
III. would not follow the doctor's prescriptions, or 
give up, even for a time, the incessant activities with 
which his days and, for the matter of that, his nights, 
were occupied. A period of entire rest had long been 
enjoined upon him, but he could not make up his mind 
to it or to allow himself any relaxation from the con- 
tinual work to which he had attached himself with 
a devotion and a self-abnegation such as very few 
monarchs have ever evinced. 

So persistent a strain could not be endured for ever, 
and it was evident that under such conditions any ill- 
ness attacking the Emperor was bound to be harder 
for him to overcome than for one whose strength had 
not been overtaxed. 

When the first bulletins concerning the health of 
the Tsar were published, the public showed far more 
anxiety than could have been supposed. There seemed 
at that time to be no real reason for it ; but Alexander 
III. was popular with all classes, and the news that he 
lay on a bed of sickness moved it deeply, and proved 
to him, as well as to the whole world, how beloved he 
was by his subjects, and how necessary his existence 
was considered to be for their prosperity, as well as 
for the peace of Europe. 

Professor Zakharine, who had a great reputation in 
Moscow as a clever doctor, was telegraphed for, and 
after a few days one heard the danger was over. The 
Emperor made such quick progress that the first 

320 



Last Days of the Emperor 

Court ball, which had been postponed, was after all 
fixed for the end of that same month of January, be- 
cause the Sovereign felt he would be well enough to 
attend it, as well as all the other festivities of the 
season. He seemed to carry himself as well as of old, 
but his looks showed an alarming change. Toward 
the end of March, just before starting on a journey to 
Italy, I happened to be present at the jubilee of the 
Hospital of the Holy Trinity, the Superior of which, 
Mile. Abaza, was one of my great friends. On that 
occasion I saw the Emperor nearer than I had done 
for some time. The change that had taken place in 
his appearance struck me most painfully. Prince John 
Galitzine, who was in attendance on the Empress on 
that day, asked me when the ceremony was over to 
give him some lunch, and as I drove him to my house 
in my carriage, I asked him what he thought about 
the health of our beloved Sovereign. He replied that 
he was also very anxious about him, but that the 
doctors seemed satisfied and did not appear to think 
that anything serious was the matter, indeed, they had 
only advised him to rest more and work less than he 
had been in the habit of doing. 

I left St. Petersburg a few days after this conversa- 
tion to spend several months abroad. It was whilst 
on a visit to some friends in Scotland that I heard at 
last that the days of Alexander III. were numbered. 

What follows belongs to history. It does not enter 
within the limits of this small book of remembrances 
to speak about those days otherwise than to mention 
the deep regrets that were felt in the whole of Europe 
when it became aware that the Sovereign who had 

v 321 



Memories of Forty Years 

contrived to win for himself such profound respect and 
entire confidence from all the nations of the world 
was about to die. 

The consternation which prevailed everywhere was 
intense, and even in Germany, where the Emperor did 
not possess too many friends, he was mourned sin- 
cerely, because everyone knew there, as everywhere 
else, that so long as he remained at the head of his 
vast Empire, the peace of Europe ran no risk of being 
troubled by any untoward adventure. 

I was in Berlin, on my way to St. Petersburg, 
when the end came and Alexander III. breathed his 
last. Two days before he died I received from General 
Tcherevine, who was at Livadia, a wire in which he 
said, " A miracle alone can save." I shall never for- 
get that sad November day, when we heard that all 
was over. The whole morning had passed away in 
anxious expectation, and as the time neared six I 
went again to make inquiries at the Russian Embassy, 
where they told me they had received no news. A 
few moments later, when I returned to the hotel where 
I was staying, the hall porter met me with a special 
edition of a news sheet in his hand, announcing to the 
world that the reign of Alexander III. had ended. 

Great and deep was the general grief when the sad 
news began to spread, and I shall never forget the first 
prayers for the dead in the chapel of the Russian 
Embassy in Berlin. All the assistants were crying, 
and the voice of the priest trembled as he invoked 
Divine mercy for the soul of the deceased monarch. 
A few days later, when I arrived in St. Petersburg, 
the body of the Emperor was already in the fortress, 

322 



Death of Alexander III 

lying in state, and it was there that I went to bid a 
last good-bye to him. The saddest thoughts came 
crowding into my mind as I looked upon the changed 
face, now grown so yellow and so small, of that mighty 
monarch one had loved and respected so well. 

It was more than painful to look upon the Empress, 
bowed down by her terrible grief. The sight of her 
desolate face and figure, half hidden tinder the heavy 
folds of her long crepe veil, was pathetic in the extreme. 
I think that no one who saw her during those terrible 
days could ever forget the expression of immense and 
hopeless despair that dwelt in her lovely eyes, full of 
heartrending sorrow and pouring with tears as she 
bent over the coffin of her Consort. One understood 
so well that for her, as well as for the husband whom 
she mourned, everything earthly had come to an end 
sooner than could have been thought or expected. 

When Alexander III. had breathed his last the 
Heir to his Throne had just become engaged to the 
lovely and accomplished Princess of Hesse, that sweet 
Princess Alix about whom her mother, the late Grand 
Duchess Alice, used to write such endearing tales to 
Queen Victoria. She had hastened to Livadia on 
hearing that the illness of her future father-in-law had 
assumed such a threatening turn, and before dying he 
had the joy of blessing her and wishing her a happy 
future in the land over which she was to reign. 

During these sad and terrible days of agony, when 
doctors were fighting against the dreaded guest, the 
Princess's presence was eloquent of consolation, both 
for her future husband and for his mother, the sorrow- 
ing Empress. Together with the whole Imperial Family 

323 



Memories of Forty Years 

she accompanied the body of the deceased monarch 
to St. Petersburg, where he was laid to rest, near his 
ancestors, in that grim fortress of St. Peter and St. 
Paul. 

When the last honours had been paid to the dead 
Sovereign the question arose as to whether the mar- 
riage of his successor was to be postponed or not. The 
nuptials of the heirs of the Romanoff dynasty had 
always been the occasion of sumptuous festivities. 
This time it was an Emperor who was about to bring 
a bride to the home of his race, and the event was an 
unprecedented one. Under ordinary circumstances it 
would have been attended with grand pomp, and 
followed by a whole series of balls and receptions, 
outvying themselves in splendour. Now the Imperial 
Family and the whole of Russia were weeping for 
Alexander III., and the very word festivity seemed 
to sound like an insult to his revered memory. On the 
other hand, the State required an Empress and the 
dynasty an heir. It was decided, after some hesitation, 
to pass over certain obstacles and to celebrate the 
marriage of the Emperor immediately after the funeral 
of his father, but to do so as quietly as the circum- 
stances allowed. The bride did not make a public 
entry into St. Petersburg, and on her arrival was 
driven to the palace of her sister, the Grand Duchess 
Elizabeth Feodorovna, where she remained until the 
time of her nuptials. 

How well I remember that day ! It was a bleak 
November morning, but not entirely devoid of sun- 
shine, as is generally the case at that time of the year 

324 



Marriage of Nicholas II 

in St. Petersburg. Nature seemed to smile upon the 
young couple and their union was accompanied by the 
good wishes of many millions of people, whose thoughts 
were that day centred on that old Palace of its Emperors 
where the ceremony was to take place. We started 
early, and so had plenty of time to look around us 
and to seek our own friends in those immense rooms 
filled with people gathered together from all parts of 
the Empire to invoke the blessings of Heaven on the 
heads of their youthful Sovereign and his lovely bride. 

She looked beautiful indeed in her bridal array, 
with the huge diamond crown, which all the Russian 
Princesses wear on their wedding day, resting proudly 
on her head, and the long Imperial mantle of gold cloth 
and ermine carried by high functionaries behind her. 
Her countenance was perfect in its mixture of maidenly 
modesty and loving anxiety, and she bore herself 
indeed with queenly dignity and womanly grace. 
She walked hand-in-hand with the Emperor along 
the long halls of the Winter Palace on her way to the 
church, her progress being punctuated by exclamations 
of sincere admiration on every hand. People stood 
staring with an eagerness that must have touched her 
had not emotion prevented her from noticing them as 
they strained their necks to catch a glimpse of their 
Empress. 

Behind her walked the Empress Dowager, leaning 
on the arm of her aged father, the King of Denmark. 
She was dressed in pure white cashmere, trimmed 
with white crepe, without a single jewel to relieve 
it. It was seen, too, that she was vainly trying to 
restrain her tears. That day must have been terribly 

325 



Memories of Forty Years 

painful for her, with all the remembrances that it 
could not fail to evoke ; but she bore herself bravely, 
and did not once break down during the long ceremony 
that gave her another daughter to love and care for. 
Deep sympathy for her was expressed everywhere ; 
and those who had seen her at other times in all the 
splendour inseparable from her high position, and who 
knew her as a happy wife and happy mother, could 
not help expressions of intense pity escaping their 
lips when they beheld her lonely and sad figure. 

The religious ceremony lasted for over an hour, 
during which the bride contrived to remain calm in 
spite of the emotion that must at times have over- 
powered her in the solemn moments when she was 
accepting the difficult position that was henceforward 
to be hers, and which she was to grace so well in the 
years that followed. She performed to perfection all 
the ceremonies prescribed by the rites of the Orthodox 
Church, only her pale cheeks lighted up with a sudden 
fire that made her appear even more beautiful than 
she was, as, after the wedding, the Emperor led her 
back through the vast and lofty rooms to the private 
apartments of the Winter Palace, Empress of his 
heart as well as of his Empire. 

The marriage of the Emperor was certainly a popular 
one, and his Consort was received not only with en- 
thusiasm, but also with affection by the whole Russian 
people. They felt grateful to her for bringing joy 
and happiness into the life of their monarch. When, 
after the marriage ceremony, the young couple drove 
in state to the Kazan Cathedral, the Empress still 
dressed in her bridal robes, immense acclamations 

326 



A Nation at One 

from the crowd greeted them, and followed them on 
to the small Anitchkov Palace, where they were to 
reside with the Empress Dowager until their own 
apartments would be ready to receive them, and in 
those shouts of welcome not one false note could be 
heard. The nation, after having mourned for its 
dead Emperor, wished a long and happy life to the 
new ruler and to his lovely bride, as she stood before 
it, fair as the morn, beautiful as a southern night. 



327 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE CORONATION OF NICHOLAS II 

A QUIET and uneventful year went by, and we 
found ourselves on the eve of another coronation. 
We arrived at Moscow about ten days before the cere- 
mony, and were immediately plunged into a sea of 
gaiety. The ancient capital was a curious place at 
that time. The number of strangers, guests from 
every part of the world, was enormous, and one had 
the opportunity of meeting most of the European 
celebrities of the time. 

England was represented by the Duke and Duchess 
of Connaught, and the dignity, grace, and politeness 
of the latter captured all hearts. Austria was to 
send the Archduke Victor Louis, but just as he was 
about to start the elder brother of Francis Joseph, 
heir to his throne and crown, died suddenly, and 
everything was changed, down to the ball which the 
Austrian Ambassador, Prince Liechtenstein, was to give 
in honour of our Sovereigns. Though another Arch- 
duke, Eugen, arrived in time for the Coronation cere- 
mony, he only remained for that one day. Prince 
Henry of Prussia, whose wife was the sister of the 
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, came on behalf of 
William II. ; Italy was represented by the Duke of 
Genoa, and the French Republic sent a special mission 

328 



Nicholas II. at Moscow 

with General Boisdeffre at its head. It would be 
difficult to mention the names of all those whom the 
quaint spectacle that Moscow was about to provide 
had drawn within its walls. I must, however, mention 
Lord and Lady Iveagh, both charming, pleasant, 
and amiable, who seemed to enjoy the pageant with 
their whole hearts. 

The first act in the spectacle was provided by the 
State entry of the Emperor and Empress, which con- 
stituted quite a unique affair by the luxury and mag- 
nificence that accompanied it. I do not think that 
any other Court in Europe can boast of such State 
carriages as the Russian, and the sight was truly 
marvellous as one after the other they passed before 
our eyes. First came the two Empresses : Marie 
Feodorovna, in a gilded coach surmounted by the 
Imperial Crown, and Alexandra Feodorovna, in another, 
without a crown on its top. The Tsar himself rode 
on horseback a little in front. He was followed by 
a brilliant retinue, as well as all the members of his 
own family and the foreign Princes who had arrived 
in Moscow to see him assume the Crown of the Roman- 
offs. The procession was imposing in the extreme, 
and what perhaps was the most striking incident, as 
it slowly passed through the streets of old Moscow, 
was when it stopped before the little chapel of the 
Iverski Madonna, the patron of the city. Here the 
Emperor got down from his horse, and the two Empresses 
alighted from their carriages ; they all knelt down 
before the shrine, invoking its protection on their heads. 

The Kremlin was bright with bunting and flags and 
garlands of flowers, hanging in festoons on its ancient 

329 



Memories of Forty Years 

walls and ramparts. Slowly through the Gates of the 
Saviour the long line of soldiers, courtiers, high officers 
of State, chamberlains in their gold embroidered 
uniforms, passed, and stopped on the huge inner 
square, where the Tsar of All the Russias alighted, 
and before entering the precincts of the Palace, directed 
his steps toward the sacred cathedrals that make this 
spot such a memorable one in the history of old Russia. 
At that moment guns were fired, and all the bells of 
the many churches began to ring joyously. Indeed 
it was a spectacle which would remain engraved on 
the memory of those who had witnessed it for ever 
and ever. 

And what can I say about the Coronation itself ? 
Here, again, the one scene was unique to Russia. The 
sight of the inner courtyard of the Kremlin, with 
stands for the spectators erected around it, its pave- 
ment covered with scarlet cloth, and the three cathe- 
drals rising solemn and beautiful in their simple lines, 
and in the centre the palace with its gigantic staircase 
by which the Emperor and his Consort were to descend 
on their way to the Church of the Assumption, was 
truly wonderful. On each step of that staircase was 
standing a cuirassier in his white uniform and gold 
helmet surmounted by the Russian eagle, and a Cossack 
of the escort in a scarlet tunic, that added a note of 
gravity to the scene. Priests in their embroidered 
vestments appeared now and then crossing the vast 
square, and at last a procession of the clergy sprinkled 
holy water on the path which Nicholas II. and his 
Consort were to traverse. 

A few moments of silence followed — silence tense 

330 



The Scene in the Kremlin 

with nervous expectation ; and from the top of the 
great staircase appeared a long row of chamberlains 
and Court personages, preceding the Dowager Empress. 
She was clothed in cloth of silver, with the Imperial 
Crown of diamonds rising high upon her lovely little 
head. From her shoulders hung the insignia of her 
dignity, a long mantle, supported by chamberlains 
and pages. This magnificent robe was all gold ; it had 
the Russian eagle embroidered on the back, and it was 
lined with ermine. Marie Feodorovna paused for 
a few moments when she reached the first step of 
the stairs, and bowed to the crowd and spectators 
massed in the square and the stands with that 
inimitable grace so inseparable from her personality. 
Then she descended slowly, and found at the bottom of 
the steps a canopy of scarlet silk with high ostrich 
plumes on its top awaiting her. It was carried by 
generals and officers of high rank, and it was under 
its shade that the Empress crossed the square to the 
Cathedral of the Assumption, on the threshold of which 
awaited her the Metropolitan of Moscow. He escorted 
her inside the church, where she took her place on 
a dais that had been prepared for her opposite the 
one which her son with his young wife was to occupy. 
She carried herself with a dignity that deeply im- 
pressed every spectator, and in silence she remained 
sitting, immovable and beautiful, until the clamours out- 
side announced to her that the Emperor was, in his turn, 
crossing the square on his way to the Cathedral. 

It was a most impressive sight when the Tsar's 
procession slowly unrolled itself before the dazzled eyes 
of the spectators. He walked hand in hand with his 

331 



Memories of Forty Years 

lovely Consort, whose pale, cameo-like features appeared 
even more beautiful than usual in the clear light of 
the morning sun. She was dressed in a robe of silver 
cloth, simpler than that worn by Marie Feodorovna, 
and had no ornament whatever in her fair hair, which 
hung in long curls down her shoulders. The Emperor 
was also bare-headed, in the uniform of his Preobraj en- 
sky regiment, with the broad blue sash of the order of 
St. Andrew across his breast. He was leading the 
Empress with infinite care ; both of them stepped 
under a canopy similar to the one beneath which 
Marie Feodorovna had walked, and slowly wended 
their steps toward the Cathedral, where priests and 
bishops, with the three Metropolitans of Moscow, St. 
Petersburg, and Kiev, were standing at the entrance 
awaiting them. And soon the gates closed behind 
them as, in their turn, they entered the old shrine 
in which so many Tsars had received the crown of 
Empire. 

The ceremony went on with the usual pomp and 
splendour inseparable from such pageants. About two 
hours later the big bell of Ivan Veliki started a joyous 
peal, to which replied the bells of the three hundred 
churches and monasteries of Moscow, and the deep 
voice of the guns as they fired their salute. Thus 
was the whole of Russia told that its Emperor had 
assumed the crown of his ancestors. 

In the course of a few moments the gates of the 
Cathedral were thrown open once more, and the 
Empress Dowager came out, returning to the Palace 
with the same regal state as attended her earlier in 
the day. About five minutes later came the Emperor, 

332 



The Tsar is Crowned 

walking alone under the canopy with white ostrich 
plumes. He had the crown on his head, the Imperial 
mantle on his shoulders, the sceptre in his right hand, 
and the orb in the left. Behind him, also alone, 
walked the young Empress, attired in her Imperial 
robes for the first time. The crowned Tsar of All the 
Russias presented himself before his subjects with 
all the attributes of his high position, as their legitimate 
Sovereign and Master. He made the tour of all the 
churches and shrines of the Kremlin, and then mounted 
again the steps of the Red Staircase, where, together 
with his Consort, he saluted the spectators from the 
top. He did so three times in succession, to the accom- 
paniment of hurrahs so loud that they almost drowned 
the deep voice of the guns and the joyful clashing of 
bells. Moscow rejoiced, and Russia rejoiced with it 
to know that its Tsar had been crowned. 

Festivity upon festivity followed each other in quick 
succession after the ceremony, and for days one lived 
in a whirl of gaiety, with scarcely time to think, until 
the horrors of the catastrophe of the Khodinka Field 
overwhelmed the rejoicing with a flood of tragedy. 

A great deal has been written concerning this awful 
accident, the gruesome details of which did not reach 
the Sovereign until much later. It was heartrending 
in its magnitude, but it was later on exploited by the 
enemies of the throne in a most unwarrantable manner, 
and made use of by unscrupulous people. 

It is not my place to write anything concerning it. 
But I cannot help giving here the judgment of a states- 
man of vast experience, Count Constantine Pahlen, 
formerly Minister of Justice under Alexander II. He 

833 



Memories of Forty Years 

is now dead, but in his lifetime he was a man of un- 
sullied honour, high moral standing, and reputation 
above reproach. He had been appointed by the 
Emperor himself head of a commission of inquiry into 
this disaster, which so completely spoilt the Coronation 
festivities- Count Pahlen, who only accepted office 
after much hesitation, had a great friend in the person 
of M. von Schwanebach, later a Cabinet Minister. M. 
von Schwanebach was also a great friend of mine, and 
this is what he wrote to me during the course of the 
summer of 1896 : 

" I have seen Count Pahlen several times. He is 
spending the summer at Peterhof, and told me that 
he was immensely pleased at the extremely conscienti- 
ous manner in which all this sad Khodinka affair had 
been personally examined by the Sovereign, and of 
the serious tone, as well as the extreme modesty of 
the young monarch, who is not only anxious to be 
well advised, but also earnestly wishing to do what 
is right, and to profit through the experience of others 
older than himself." 

This is the opinion of an honest man, told in con- 
fidence to another of like honour, and it may prove 
of use to refute certain calumnies that have been put 
into circulation by badly-intentioned people. 



334 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE BELL OF NYROB : A RUSSIAN LEGEND 

AS I am writing about the Coronation of Nicholas 
-tJ^ II. I am reminded of a pretty legend which 
tells of a superstition connected with the Romanoffs. 
I heard it one autumn while staying at the country 
house of one of my friends in the centre of Russia. 

After dinner, rather tired and sleepy, we sat with 
my host and one or two guests in a cosy room, with 
our feet on the fender, near a roaring fire. It was 
raining, and the wind from the steppes howled 
dismally among the trees of the shady park. It was 
a night for ghosts, as someone remarked, and we 
forthwith asked the master of the house whether or 
not his castle was haunted, as so many Russian country 
places are. Our host smiled and replied that we were 
quite safe, as he had never heard that an inhabitant 
of the other world had ever honoured his comfortable 
home. 

" But," he added, " I have been in places where 
supernatural things happen, and so I cannot treat 
the subject with utter disbelief, as I suppose all of 
you do." 

" No, not all," replied one of the guests ; " we 
would not be Russians if we did not at times admit 
the existence of superstitions and legends, transmitted 

335 



Memories of Forty Years 

from father to son. But once, you say, you have wit- 
nessed supernatural things. Won't you relate to us 
your personal experiences in the matter ? I am sure 
we should be delighted to hear about them," and he 
turned toward us as he spoke. 

We all acquiesced, and after some hesitation our 
host lighted a cigar, and, getting nearer the fire, he 
at last began his story, which I here reproduce exactly 
as he told it to us : 

" A few years ago, I happened to be travelling in 
the government of Perm, having been sent there on 
a mission by the directors of my company to report 
on the conditions of a mine in which they were inter- 
ested. 

" There exists no railway in that part of the world, 
and I was travelling in a tarantass (Russian travelling 
cart) with post-horses. The roads were abominable, 
like all roads are in Russia in spring and in autumn, 
and it was then the beginning of May. When I reached 
a little village called Nyrob, the inhuman sort of cart 
in which I was being tortured broke down, and I had 
perforce to stop there until it was repaired, which 
I was told could not be until the next day. I was 
wondering where I could stay during these twenty-four 
hours, as the place could boast of no inn or post-house 
where a traveller could rest. Whilst I was meditating 
on what I could do, the village priest happened to pass, 
and upon hearing of the plight I was in, he offered 
me the hospitality of his house, which I was delighted 
to accept, and whither I hastened to accompany him. 

" Father Paul was a venerable old man, with flow- 
ing beard and hair, and decidedly more learned than 

336 



Father Paul's Hospitality 

the average parish priest in such out-of-the-way places. 
I found him a pleasant and agreeable companion, and 
the afternoon passed more quickly than I would have 
expected. He offered me some tea and a simple dinner, 
which his wife brought, serving us with alacrity, 
but not sitting down with us, though I asked her 
repeatedly to do so. The meal was scarcely over 
when one came to fetch Father Paul to a sick parish- 
ioner, and I was left to my own devices. The evening 
was mild and clear, and I thought I would go for a 
walk and explore the place where my bad luck had 
wrecked me. 

" Nyrob is a large village, with one street in the 
middle, not different from others in Russia, and offer- 
ing nothing picturesque or beautiful to the onlooker. 
There was a church, wooden, like the rest of the build- 
ings, and a few trees were planted around it ; but 
the place was monotonous in the extreme, and had 
nothing attractive about it. After having explored 
the village, I turned my steps toward a small wood 
on a hill which dominated the place. The trees were 
just beginning to bud ; lilies of the valley were to be 
seen everywhere, and the contrast of Nature full of 
life and joy with the gloom of the houses standing 
lower down, whose grey roofs seemed so dreary beside 
the loveliness of the bushes and flowers, appealed to 
my senses so strongly that the memory of it still lives 
in my soul whenever I remember that spring day. 

" As night was falling, I thought it was time to 

return, and started homewards. Somehow, I missed 

my way, and found myself near a small chapel, which 

I had not noticed while climbing up to the wood, 

w 337 



Memories of Forty Years 

where I had stayed so long. It was dark, so I did 
not stop to examine this chapel, and passed on. Sud- 
denly I heard the sound of a bell, which startled me 
so much that I stopped still, and scanned the country 
around me to try and find out whence it came. 

" I saw nothing, but the sound continued and be- 
came clearer and clearer, until it rang as if it had been 
quite close to me. It was a weird and uncanny sound, 
soft and harmonious, however, but resembling nothing 
that I had ever heard before. It seemed to proceed 
from a small hand-bell, and tinkled quite softly but 
distinctly; and, strange as it may seem, it appeared 
to proceed from under my feet, and somehow created 
a most unpleasant impression on my nerves. I hast- 
ened my steps, but the sound pursued me and left me 
no rest. I am not a coward, but I assure you that 
when I saw an old peasant coming toward me, I felt 
intensely relieved. I was about to accost him, when 
he suddenly crossed himself several times and turned 
back in a hurry. I started in pursuit of him, and after 
having caught him, asked him the reason why he 
had fled when he had seen me. 

" 4 I did not fly from you, Barine ; I fled from 
the sound of the Romanoff bell,' was the old man's 
unexpected reply. 

" I asked for an explanation, but could obtain 
none, as the only answer which I got to my numerous 
questions was repeated signs of the cross, and the 
same words, ' It is the Romanoff bell.' 

" When I reached the presbytery I found that 
Father Paul and a supper were awaiting me, and 
after my first hunger was appeased I asked the priest 

338 



Tsar Boris Godounoff 

what was the meaning of the sound of the Romanoff 
bell. To my intense surprise Father Paul's face got 
very stern, and he started also to cross himself rever- 
ently several times. At last, noticing my astonish- 
ment, he asked me to shut the door quite tightly, and 
related to me the legend of the Romanoff bell. 

" 4 In 1601,' he said, * Tsar Boris Godounoff was 
ruling in Russia. He had no right to occupy the 
throne, as there were still descendants of Rurik who 
had every right to become Tsars. Godounoff, who 
had killed the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, 
the youth Dmitry, determined to destroy the Roman- 
offs, that mighty family so closely allied to the 
reigning house, and whose rights to the diadem of 
Monomaque no one in Russia disputed. Fedor Ni- 
kitisch Romanoff was compelled to become a monk, 
whilst his wife also was forced to enter a religious 
house, where, however, she succeeded in taking with 
her, and hiding from the vengeance of Godounoff, her 
only son Michael, who was later on to be chosen as 
Tsar by the Sobor. Fedor Nikitisch had two brothers : 
Alexander, who was murdered by the servants of 
Godounoff, and Michael Nikitisch, the handsomest man 
in Russia. The last-mentioned was popular among 
the people, and could easily have overthrown the usurper 
had he cared to do so. The Tsar was cunning and 
cruel ; he contrived to win over to his side the mis- 
tress of Michael Nikitisch, and one night she opened 
the door to the soldiers of Godounoff, who seized 
Romanoff, bound him, and, after having loaded him 
with chains, put him on a cart, and, acting on the orders 
of the Tsar, took him to this village of Nyrob. 

339 



Memories of Forty Years 

" ' The road was long, the prisoner was treated with 
the utmost cruelty by his guards and left without food 
or proper clothing, and this in the depth of winter. 
At last Nyrob was reached ; and when they got there 
Michael Nikitisch was allowed to get out of the covered 
sledge in which he had been confined, and two soldiers 
held him, whilst some peasants were called by the 
servants of Godounoff, and ordered to dig a large 
hole in the frozen ground. The work lasted a long 
time, under the eyes of the victim, who was beginning 
to realise the terrible fate that awaited him. When 
at last it was finished, Michael Nikitisch, always loaded 
with heavy chains, which still hang in the little chapel 
you passed to-night, was thrown into that hole, which 
was covered with planks through which air, but hardly 
any light, could pass, and left there for ever. Guards 
were put near the hole where the miserable man was 
to end his existence, with orders to allow no one to 
go near, and Godounoff' s servants returned to their 
master to tell him that his orders had been executed, 
and the victim of his vengeance buried alive in the 
solitudes of Siberia. 

" c Three years passed, and the robust constitution 
of Michael Nikitisch did not give way. He could not 
die. At last his murderers got weary, and decided to 
leave him to perish from hunger, and warned the 
villagers that anyone who gave him food would be 
under penalty of death. The terrible sentence was 
executed, and for long days and nights one could hear 
the pleading of the miserable man imploring the 
passers-by to throw him a piece of bread. Children 
used to run away from the spot where he was confined 

340 



A Fateful Prophecy 

in terror, and no one dared go near it. But still the 
unfortunate victim remained alive. At last an old 
woman, who passed for a witch, had the courage 
to approach the hole where Romanoff was slowly 
expiring. She murmured some strange words as she 
did so, and immediately upon hearing them the guards 
who held watch over that grave fell into a deep sleep. 
Then the woman crawled to the hole and asked the 
dying man what she could do for him. " Kill me," 
was the reply. " I need not do that," retorted the 
woman ; " your hour has struck already, and a few 
moments will see you released ; but you deserve a 
reward for your sufferings. Take this bell," and she 
threw him a small silver bell, " and in joy and sorrow, 
so long as your race will occupy the Throne of Russia, 
it shall ring, and will tell the world that your martyr- 
dom has won a crown for those of your blood and 
name." 

" ' And,' added Father Paul, ' since that day the 
Romanoff bell, as it is called, has rung every evening, 
and, let us hope, will go on ringing for years to come. 
Michael Nikitisch's martyrdom was not suffered in 
vain.' " 

A deep hush fell upon us as our host concluded. 
We all remained silent after hearing his strange story, 
and no one ventured to ridicule it. The fire was 
slowly dying away on the hearth, and in its dying 
embers the ghosts of a terrible past seemed to appear 
and linger around us. No one seemed inclined to get 
up, or to say anything to divert the mind from the 
tragedy to which we had listened. At last our host 
broke the painful silence that had followed his narra- 

341 



Memories of Forty Years 

tion : " Let us go to bed," he said ; " the silvery bell 
doesn't ring for us poor mortals." 

I often think of the legend of the bell of Nyrob, 
and as I do so the whole story of that proud 
Romanoff race comes back to my mind, with its 
attendant horrors and glories, and the sound of that 
distant silvery bell ringing everlastingly in the Siberian 
solitude where the martyrdom of one of its chiefs had 
won it a throne, resounds clearly in my ears and haunts 
my thoughts. 



342 



INDEX 



Abaza, Mile., 321 

Abercorn, Duchess of, description of, 38 
Aid6, Hamilton, description of, 23 
Aksakoff, Madame, 288 
Albert, Prince, designs decorations of 
Buckingham Palace, 12 

influence over Frederick III., 93 

respect for constitutional govern- 
ment, 93 

delicate position of, 191 

as father, 191 

German sympathies, 191 
Albert of Prussia, Prince, marriage, 
divorce, re-marriage, and death 
of, 103 
Albert of Saxe-Altenbourg, Prince, 

marriage of, 103 
Alexander I., Emperor, 286 
Alexander II., Emperor, 295 

tragic death of, 220 

murder of, 260 

second marriage, 303 

and von Werder, 303 

reforms, 312 
Alexander III., Emperor, 292, 313, 329 

death of, 184, 223, 319 

marriage of, 219 

description of, 221 

and Bismarck, 222 

and French Alliance, 222 

home life, 224 

ascends throne, 228 

some ministers, 237 

rectitude, 238 

improves Russian finances, 240 

protects landowners, 245 

kindness of, 249 

personal friends, 249 



Alexander III., Emperor, and Tchere- 
vine, 254 
at foreign embassies, 278 
and Schweinitz, 303 
his detestation of journalists, 318 
ceaseless activity of, 320 
popularity of, 320 
peaceful intentions, 322 
burial of, 324 
Alexander III. Museum, 279 
Alexander Michailovitch, Grand Duke, 

and aviation, 233 
Alexander of Oldenburg, Prince, phi- 
lanthropy of, 236 
Alexander of Prussia, Prince, 104 
Alexander Romanoff, murder of, 339 
Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess, 

232 
Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress, 329, 
332 
marriage of, 324 
popular reception, 326 
Alexandra Georgievna, Grand Duchess, 
230 
description of, 231 
death, 231 
Alexandra, Queen, at George V.'s 

marriage, 8 
Alexandrina, Princess of Prussia, un- 
happy marriage of, 104 
Alexis, Grand Duke, 308 

popularity, 229 
Alice, Grand Duchess, 323 
Alix of Hesse, Princess, betrothed, 323 
Alsace-Lorraine, 210 
Amherst, Alice, Lady, description of, 39 
Ampthill, Lady, at silver wedding of 
Crown Prince, 125 
success in Berlin, 178 



343 



Index 



Ampthill, Lord, friendship with Fred- 
erick III. and Empress, 97 

popular Berlin host, 177 

cordial terms with Bismarck, 177 
Andrassy, Count, at Berlin Congress, 

182 
Andriani, Baroness d', friendship with 

William I., 139 
Angeli, 208 

friendship with Frederick and Vic- 
toria, 140 
Anna Pavlovna, Queen, 118 
Ansola, Don Luis de Bourbon, Duke 

of, marriage of, 309 
Apraxine, Countess, marriage, 257 
Argyll, Duke of, description of, 12 
Arnim, Countess, 139 
Arnim KrochlendorfT, Madame, 69 
Arnold, Matthew, 208 
Asquith, H. H., description of, 14 

marriage of, 14 

rising star, 14 
Aubertot, Mme. Chevreux, 306 
Augusta, Empress, attempts to change 
court ceremonial, 57 

little leisure with husband, 63 

tea parties, 64 

strict observance of Lent, 68 

boresome Thursday concerts, 71 

favours Coblenz, 73 

visits Baden-Baden, 74 

her foibles, 82 

political opinions, 82 

rivalry with Princess Charles, 82 

high sense of duty, 83 

relations with husband, 83 

tactlessness, 83 

charitable activities, 84 

secret Catholic sympathies, 85 

high instincts obscured, 85 

and proclamation of German Em- 
pire, 85 

and Kulturkampf, 85, 157 

religious tolerance, 85 

French sympathies, 86, 88 

her bad grace, 87 

dislike of Crown Princess, 88 

prudence of, 105 

her love of gossip, 110, 133 

love of functions, 116 



Augusta, Empress, golden wedding 
celebrated, 123 
splendid appearance of, 124 
death of, 126 
August William of Prussia, Prince, 
marriage, divorce, and re-mar- 
riage, 143 
August of Wurtemberg, Prince, 105 



Babelsberg Castle, William I. and 

Augusta's receptions at, 74 
Baden, Grand Duchess of, 62 

with Empress Augusta, 74 

love for her father, 74 
Baden-Baden, Empress Augusta at, 74 
Balaschoff, Mme. Catherine, 288 
Balfour, Arthur, hope of Conservatives, 

5 
Balliol College, Sir Bobert Morier at, 21 
Bariatinsky, Princess Elizabeth, 287 

exclusiveness of, 284 

kindness to young people, 285 
Beaconsfield, Lord, compared with 
Gladstone, 29 

defines political parties, 32 

at Berlin Congress, 181 

charm of, 181 

description of, 181 

secret treaties, 182 
Beauharnais, Zeneidc. (See Duchess 

of Leuchtenberg) 
Beaulaincourt, Countess de, 114 
Bebel, death of, 174 

description of, 174 

opposition to Bismarck, 175 
Bell, Moberley, description of, 22 
Bell, Mrs. Moberley, description of, 23 
Bell of Nyrob, Legend of, 335 
Belosselsky of Belozersk, Prince, mar- 
riage of, 260 
Belosselsky, Princess Nadine, 293 
Benckendorff, Countess, 293 
Berlin, William I.'s palace invaded, 52 

Court precedence at, 58 

Court reception at, 58 

Court balls, 60 

simple life at Court, 60, 64 



344 



Index 



Berlin, Imperial table at, 61 

homeliness of Court receptions, 64 fj 
great Courts at, 66 
ball in Opera House, 67 
former strict social demarcations re- 
laxed, 68 
Lenten observances, 69 
season begins, 75 
hostility to Princess Louise, 105 
Court festivities, 116 
society conditions under William I., 

127 
gossip, 133 
intellectual life, 147 
diplomatic corps in, 177 
Berlin Congress, 178 

Russian disappointment, 237 
Bernard of Saxe-Meiningen, Prince, 

marriage of, 106 
Bilbassoff, M., advanced political views, 

312 
Biron of Curland, Princess, great in- 
fluence of, 112 
description of, 134 
friendship with William I., 134 
Bismarck, Prince, relations with 
William I., 50, 55, 56, 158 
successes of, 55 
opinion of Salisbury, 56 
his soft heart, 56 
bad relations with Empress Augusta, 

85, 115, 125 
absence from royal marriages, 117 
death of, 126 
hatred of Schleinitz, 137 
destroys influence of Radziwill 

family, 146 
author's cordial relations with, 152 
petty intrigues against, 153 
raids Radziwills' palace, 154 
impressions of, 155 
realisation of Prussia's destiny, 158 
home life, 159 

relations with Reichstag, 168 
relations with Richter, 168 
anti-Russian policy, 172 
Reichstag overridden by, 173 
opposed by Bebel, 175 
quarrels with SabouroiT, 179 
appointed President of Council, 195 



Bismarck, Prince, as peacemaker, 196 
accuses Crown Prince and Princess of 

intrigue, 202 
at Crown Prince's party, 203 
foments discord in Imperial family, 

210 
and Schwcinitz, 302 
Bismarck, Princess, author's cordial 
relations with, 152 
impressions, 159 
wifely devotion, 159 
hatred of French, 162 
narrow-mindedness, 162 
Black Eagle, Order of, 65 
Bleichr&der, Baron von, his invitation 
declined, 68 
relations with Bismarck, 150 
Bloudoff, Countess Antoinette, 288 
Blucher von Wahlstadt, Prince, par- 
simony of, 9 
description of, 132 
Blumenthal, General, 209 
Boisdeffre, General, at coronation of 

Nicholas II., 329 
Boris Godounoff, Tsar, murders Dmitry, 

339 
Brandenburg, Countess Alexandra von, 

112 
Brandenburg-Schwedt, Princess of, 

marriage of, 143 
Brassey, Lady, description of, 43 
Bridgewater House, receptions at, 37 
Bruhl, Countess Hedwig, 198 
Brunswick, Regent of Duchy of, 104 
Buccleuch, Duchess of, description of, 

38 
Buckingham Palace, ball at, counter- 
manded, 11 
impressions of, 12 
Buckingham and Chandos, Duchess of, 

marriage of, 37 
Biilow, Prince von, marriage of, 138, 
187 
description of, 185 
barrenness of career, 186 
favourite with Bismarck, 187 
in Italy, 188 

break with William II., 188 
Biilow, Princess von, good influence of, 
188 



345 



Index 



Bunge, M., opposes Witte, 243 
Burghclere, Lady, 12 
Burghley, Lord, 5, 44 
Burgomaster of Berlin at Court, 66 



Cadogan, Lady, as hostess, 34 

Cain, George, appreciation of Vladimir, 

228 
Campo Sagrado, Marquis de, in St. 
Petersburg, 308 
ignominious departure, 309 
Camporeale, Prince of, 138 
Caprivi, General, succeeded by Hohen- 

lohe, 184 
Carolath-Beuthen, Prince, in Reich- 
stag, 169 
Castellane, Marshal de, 114 
Castellane, Mile, de, marriage of, 144 
Catherine Michailovna, Grand Duchess, 
description of, 234 
death, 234 
Catholic party led by Radziwills, 153 
Cecil family at Hatfield, 34 
Centre party in Reichstag, 170 

supports Socialists, 172 
Charles of Prussia, Prince, description 
of, 100 
sudden death of, 101 
Charles of Prussia, Princess, relations 
with Empress Augusta, 82, 101 
birthday celebrations, 100 
description of, 100 
death of, 101 
Charlotte of Russia, Empress, favour- 
ite sister of William I., 62, 108 
Charlotte of Prussia, Princess, educa- 
tion of, 104 
marriage, 104, 106, 116 
description of, 119 
Chelsea House, a ball at, 34 
Chesterfield, Lord, his original letters, 

39 
Chevening, description of, 39 
Christian IX., King, at wedding of 

Nicholas II., 325 
Churchill, Winston, still unknown, 14 

as a boy, 19 
Clarence, Duke of, in Berlin, 108 



Clarendon, Lord, foreign secretaryship, 

178, 194 
Clay, Spender, 19 

Cleveland, Duchess of, anecdote about, 
13 
description of, 36 

disapproves of Princess Anthony 
Radziwill's conduct, 36 
Clovis, Prince and Princess. (See 

Hohenlohe) 
Coblenz, favoured by Empress Augusta, 

73 
Connaught, Duchess of, 72, 103 
meets future husband, 123 
at coronation of Nicholas II., 328 
Connaught, Duke of, at coronation of 

Nicholas II., 328 
Conservatives admit Mr. Asquith's 
cleverness, 14 
coalition with National Liberals, 169 
Constantine Constantinovitch, Grand 
Duke, as author, 233 
marriage, 234 
Constantine Nicolaievitch, Grand 

Duke, 231 
Corelli, Marie, description of, 25 
Costa, Count Bottaro, in St. Petersburg, 

310 
Croy, Duke of, 131 
Currie, Sir Philip, pertinacity of, 6 



D 
Dagmar of Denmark, Princess, mar- 
riage of, 219 
Dantzig incident, 195 
Daughter of author presented at 

Russian Court, 3 
Davidoff, Count and Countess Orloff, 

277, 288 
Delianoff, Countess, description of, 269 

death of, 269 
Demidoff, M. Elim, Prince of San 

Donato, marriage of, 279 
Denmark, King of, at George V.'s 

marriage, 8 
Denmark, Queen of, at George V.'s 

marriage, 8 
Devonshire, Duke and Duchess of, 

description of, 35 



346 



Index 



Devonshire House, receptions at, 

35 
Dino, Duchess de, 113 
Dolgorouky, Princess Mary, 293 
Donhoff, Countess, marriage of, 138 
Dournoff, Mine. Marie, description of, 

287 
Dournovo, M., Minister of Interior, 

240 
Dudley, Dowager Lady, description of, 

38 
Duff, Lady, 26 
Duff, Sir M. G., describes Winston 

Churchill and Sir Robert Morier, 

20 
description of, 26 



E 

Edinburgh, visit to, 39 

description of, 40 
Edward VII., King, in Berlin, 108 

at niece's wedding, 118 
Egerton of Tatton, Lord, marriage of, 

37 
Egypt, visit to, 126 
Elizabeth of Brunswick- Wolfenbuttel, 

Princess, marriage of, 143 
Elizabeth Christina, Queen, relations 

with King, 142 
Elizabeth Feodorovna, Grand Duchess, 

230, 324 
Elizabeth of England, Queen, 5 
at Hatfield, 33 
thoughts turn to, 44 
impersonated in Berlin, 125 
Elizabeth of Prussia, Princess, mar- 
riage and death of, 103, 117 
description of, 119 
Elizabeth of Prussia, Queen, has little 
affection for Augusta, 82 
flight to Memel, 92 
Ellesmere, Countess of, invitations 

from, 37 
Emma of Netherlands, Queen, obtains 

justice for Princess Mary, 123 
Ems, visited by William I., 74 
England, memories of, 1 
visit to, 3 
love for, 3 



England, spirit of order very striking 
in, 13 
political circles in, 14 
arrival in, 20 
freedom of society in, 39 
amenities of political life in, 41 
breadth of view in, 41 
home life in upper classes absent, 42 
restlessness in society, 42 
democracy creates new class of 
politicians, 46 
English political circles, 14 
Eugen, Archduke, at coronation of 

Nicholas II., 328 
Eugene, Duke of Leuchtenberg, mar- 
riage, 235 
Eugenie of Oldenburg, Princess, 236, 

287 
Everingham Park, visit to, 39 



Falk laws, 168 

Fedor Nikisch Romanoff supplanted, 

339 
Ferdinand of Prussia, Prince, marriage 

of, 143 
Flanders, Count of, marriage of, 179 
Franco-Russian Alliance, 307 

Berlin displeasure, 304 
Frederick Charles of Prussia, Prince, 

at Metz, 102 
Frederick Charles, Princess, 72 

description of, 102 
Frederick-Christian of Prussia, Prince, 

birth of, 143 
Frederick the Great relations with 
Queen, 142 
uneasiness re succession, 143 
Frederick III., Emperor, description 
of, 90 
long wait for crown, 90 
popularity with army and nation, 90 
memories of Berlin riots, 92 
Liberal opinions, 93 
struggle with his father, 93 
noble character, 94 
made use of by Bismarck, 95 
facilitates proclamation of German 
Empire, 95 



347 



Index 



Frederick, III., Emperor, regency, 95, 
205 
on position of princes in German 

Empire, 96 
kindness of, 99 
death of, 99, 126 
silver wedding, 101, 125 
betrothal, 192 
marriage, 193 
Dantzig incident, 195 
gratitude to Bismarck, 197 
in Austrian war, 198 
deplores war of 1870, 199 
Frederick, Empress. (See Empress 

Victoria) 
Frederick of Hohenzollern, Prince, 
marriage of, 105 
quarrel with William II., 106 
Frederick, Prince. (See Frederick III.) 
Frederick William III., King, birth, 144 
Frederick William IV., King, greatest 
Protestant monarch in Europe, 53 
death of, 194 
Fiirstenberg, Princess of, marriage of, 
130 



Gautzine, Prince John, popularity, 

258 
devotion to Marie Feodorovna, 259 
death, 259 

and Emperor's health, 321 
Gambetta, death of, 166 
Garden parties, feature in London 

society, 44 
Genoa, Duke of, at coronation of 

Nicholas II., 328 
George V., King, marriage of, 7 
George of Greece, King, 231 
George of Prussia, Prince, 104 
George Alexandrovitch, Grand Duke, 

226 
George, Lloyd, yet unknown, 5, 14 
German Empire, proclaimed, 85 
its destiny not popularly recognised, 

156 
Germany, memories of, 47 
Giers, M. de, Foreign Minister, 246 
Gladstone, W. E., 5 



Gladstone, W. E., in office, 14 
description of, 15, 27 

Gladstone, Mrs., anecdotes concerning, 
30 

Goltz, Count, friendship with William 
I., 110 

Gontaut Biron, Vicomte de, his diffi- 
culties and mistakes in Berlin, 180 
hostility to Bismarck, 202 

Gontscharoff, M. and Mme., 266 

Goremykin, M., Minister of Interior, 
240 

Gortschakov, Prince, 246 

Gregorovius, Professor, 147 

Guendoulein, Count, marriage of, 309 

Guizot, maxim of, 208 

Gusserow, Professor, 147 



H 
Hacke, Countess Adelaide, 64, 67 

description of, 111 
Hansemann, Baron von, 150 
Harrach, Count Ferdinand, 208 

marriage of, 140 
Harrach, Countess H61Sne, 208 
Hatfield House, hospitality at, 32 

description of, 33 

Frederick III. at, 205 
Hatzfeld, Count Paul, foreign sec- 
retaryship, 187 
Hatzfeld, Countess Pauline, marriage 

of, 114 
Hatzfeld, Princess, in Italy, 138 
Hatzfeld Trachenberg, Prince, 132 

in Reichstag, 169 
Hatzfeld Trachenberg, Princess, 132 
Helen of Russia, Grand Duchess, 105 
H616ne of Servia, Princess, marriage of, 

234 
Helene Pavlovna, Grand Duchess, 234 
Helmholtz, Mrs., description of, 148 
Helmholtz, Professor, 147, 208 

description of, 149 

and Empress Victoria, 207 
Henckel, Count of, in Reichstag, 170 
Henry of Netherlands (Senior), Prince, 
marriage of, 103 

death intestate, 123 



348 



Index 



Henry of Prussia (Senior), Prince, mar- 
riage of, 143 
Henry of Prussia, Prince, 68 
enters navy, 106 

at coronation of Nicholas II., 328 
Henry XVIII. of Reuss, Prince, 104 
Herries, Lord and Lady, visit to, 39 
Hesse, Grand Duchess of, death of, 

206 
Heyden, Countess, marriage of, 252 
Hirsch, Baron, in society, 6 
Hochberg, Count of, in Reichstag, 

170 
Hodel, execution of, 97 
Hohenhau, Countess. (See Mile, de 

Rauch) 
Hohenlohe, Prince Clovis von, succeeds 
Bismarck, 129 
favourite at Court, 129 
in Reichstag, 169 
description of, 184 
chancellorship, 184 
recalls von Werder, 304 
Franco-Russian alliance, 304 
Hohenlohe, Princess Clovis von, 129 
Hohenlohe-Langenbourg, Prince and 

Princess, 129 
Hohenzollern, House of, their training 
and sense of duty, 53 
details of family, 100 
Holland House, description of, 34, 44 
Holyrood, visit to, 40 
Home Rule, Conservatives' indignation 
with supporters of, 14 



Ignatieff, Count Nicholas, at Con- 
stantinople, 237 
Minister of the Interior, 237 
dismissal of, 237 
death, 238 
methods, 238 
Imperial Guards, 105 
Irene of Russia, Princess, marriage of, 

292 
Isabella, Queen, 308 
Ivan the Terrible, son's murder, 339 
Iveagh, Lord and Lady, at coronation 
of Nicholas II., 329 



Jena, memories of, 51, 92 

Jersey, Lord and Lady, their garden 

parties, 44 
Jowett, Benjamin, his influence on 

Morier, 21 



K 
Karolyi, Count, popular Berlin host, 

177 
Karolyi, Countess Fanny, as Berlin 

hostess, 178 
Kaunenberg, Madame von, 143 
Kehler von, police raid, 154 
Khodinka catastrophe, 333 
Kimberley, Lord and Lady, description 

of, 17 
Kjoers, General de, in St. Petersburg, 

308 
Kleinmichel, Countess Marie, influence 

of, 286 
Kleist, Count, 121 
Knesebeck, Baron von, description of, 

112 
Knorring, Baroness, 292 
Kogel, Superintendent, delivers ad- 
dress, 120, 124 
Koniggratz, victory of, 198 
Kotchoubey, Prince Basil, marriage, 

260 
Kotchoubey, Princess Helene, 69, 287, 
293 
description of, 260 
royal friends, 260 
marriages of, 260 
Mistress of the Robes, 260 
Kourakine, Princess, death of, 26t 
Kourakine, Princess Anatole, 291 
Kraievski, M., as editor, 312 
Kreutz, Count, 13 
Kroupensky, Monsieur, 13 
Kulturkampf, 70, 85, 145 
its aims, 159 



Laboulaye, M. and Madame, in St, 
Petersburg, 306 



349 



Index 



Landtag, Prussian, members at Court, 

66 
Lascelles, Sir Edward and Lady, in St. 

Petersburg, 306 
Lassalle, 92 

Launay, Count de, in Berlin, 179 
Lecky, W. E. H., description of, 21 

and Empress Victoria, 207 
Lecky, Mrs., description of, 21 
Lehndorff, Count, favourite of William 

I., 110 
Lenbach, 136 

marriage of, 139 
Leopold of Belgium, King, in Berlin, 

117 
Leuchtenberg, Duchess of, charm of, 
235 
death, 235 
Lewachoff, Countess, 266 

description of, 267 
Leyden, Dr., 147, 209 
Liechtenstein, Prince Francis, at St. 

Petersburg, 305, 328 
Lindau, Rudolph and Paul, 209 
Lobanoff, Princess Alexandrine, 287 
London, pleasant recollections of, 4 
months spent in, 26 
full of interest, 34 
very gay in 1894, 37 
foreigner's impression of, 44 
before nouveau riche invasion, 45 
Louis of Bavaria, King, tragic death of, 

95 
Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, Prince, 105 

birth of, 143 
Louise, Princess, relates anecdote, 12 

description of, 12 
Louise of Baden, Grand Duchess of, 
love for her father, 107 
charm and tact, 108 
Louise Margaret of Prussia, Princess, 

meets Duke of Connaught, 123 
Louise of Prussia, Queen, flight of, 51 
Louise of Denmark, Queen, appreciates 

Princess Kotchoubey, 260 
Louise of Thurn and Taxis, Princess, 
105 
marriage of, 105 
description of, 106 
Lowther Lodge, reception at, 45 



Lowther, Mrs., as hostess, 45 
Luther, his influence on Prussia, 52 



M 

Mallinckrodt, Dr., death of, 170 

leads Centre party, 170 
Manchester, Duchess of, in Berlin, 69 
Manteuffel, Marshal von, 209 

in Alsace and Lorraine, 167 

relations with Bismarck, 167 

death, 210 
Marianne of the Netherlands, Princess, 

marriage and divorce, 103 
Marie Alexandrovna, Empress, 219 
Marie Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess, 

287 
Marie Feodorovna, Empress, 69, 277, 
283, 329, 331 

arrival in Russia, 219 

description of, 220 

amiability of, 224 

home life, 224 

loveliness of, 230 

regard for Tcherevine, 256 

helpful entourage, 259 

in fancy dress, 271 

love of dancing, 276 

charm retained, 294 

chevaliers gardes, 293 

at marriage of Nicholas II., 325 
Marie Henriette, Queen, in Berlin, 117 
Marie of Hoenzollern, Princess, mar- 
riage of, 179 
Marie Nicolaievna, Grand Duchess, 
235 

morganatic marriage, 258 
Marie Pavlovna, Grand Duchess, 310 

description of, 229 

loveliness of, 230 

fancy-dress balls, 271 

dislike of Radolin, 304 
Marie of Saxe- Weimar. (See Princess 

Charles) 
Marlborough, Duke of, designated 
prophet of regenerated England, 
19 
Marlborough House, garden party at, 7 
Marochetti, Baron, in St. Petersburg, 
310 



350 



Index 



Marriages, Prussian Royal, etiquette 

of, 117 
Mary of Netherlands, Princess, widow- 
hood, 123 
Mary of Prussia, Princess, marriages of, 
103, 122 
death of, 103 
Mary of England, Queen, marriage 

of, 8 
Mary Stuart, 16 

visit to bedroom of, 40 
May, Princess. (See Queen Mary) 
Mecklenburg, Grand Duke of, in Berlin, 

119 
Mecklenburg, Grand Duchess Alexan- 
drine of, in Berlin, 119 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duke of, un- 
happy marriage of, 104 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Dowager Grand 

Duchess of, 108 
Melville, Mrs. Beresford, invitation 

from, 19 
Memel, Queen Louise flies to, 51 
Mendelssohn-Bartholdys, 209 
Menschikoff, Princess Leonille, 289 
Menzel, methods of portraiture, 140 
Mestchersky, Prince, newspaper owner, 

316 
Meyerbeer, 139 
Meyerbeer, Cornelia, 208 
Michael Nicolaievitch, Grand Duke, 

232 
Michael Nikitisch Romanoff, 339 

buried alive, 340 
Michael, Tsar, 339 
Mignet, Monsieur, as historian, 16 
Minghetti, Donna Laura, 138 
Minghetti, M., 188 

Moltke, Field-Marshal Count von, 55, 
114, 209 
death of, 126 
description of, 164 
and Gambetta, 166 
at Sedan, 166 
Moltke, Countess von, marriage of, 

139 
Mommsen, Professor, 209 

and Empress Victoria, 207 
Montagu House, garden party at, 34 
Montebello, Marquis de, 275 



Montebello, Count de, and Franco- 
Russian rapprochement, 303 

lavish hospitality, 305 
Montreal House, full of interest, 39 
Montrose, Duchess of, classical beauty 

of, 38 
Morier, Sir Robert, description of, 20 

in St. Petersburg, 305 
Morley, Viscount, description of, 15 

his association with Gladstone, 16 



N 
Napoleon Bonaparte, oppression of 

Prussia, 92 
Narischkine, Madame Emmanuel, de- 
scription of, 282 
Narischkine, M., death of, 283 
Narischkine, Basil, description of, 283 
Narischkine, Marie Antonovna, 286 
National Liberals, coalition with Con- 
servatives, 169 
Nelidoff, Madame, description of, 266 
Nesselrode, Count, 64 
description of, 112 
Netchaieff, Sisters, description of, r 278 
Netchaieff Maltseff, M., 278 
munificent donations, 279 
Neumdorff Mile, von, 180 
Nevill, Lady Dorothy, as writer, 23 
Newspapers, Russian Golos, 312 
Novoie Vremia, 313 
Golos suppressed, 313 
Grajdanine, 316 

effect of Japanese war on jour- 
nalism, 318 
Nicholas II., Emperor, 331 
early promise, 226 
retains Tcherevine, 253 
betrothal, 323 
marriage of, 325 
Coronation, 328 
Khodinka disaster, 333 
Nicholas Alexandrovitch, Grand Duke 

Tsarevitch, at Tchin ball, 274 
Nicholas Hall, balls in, 272 
Nicholas Michailovitch, Grand Duke, 

learnedness of, 232 
Nicholas Nicolaievitch, Grand Duke, 
231 



351 



Index 



Nobiling, attempts life of William I., 
62, 97, 122 

Norfolk, Duchess of, parentage of, 39 

Northumberland, Duke of, entertain- 
ment at house of, 37 

Nothomb, Baron, confidant of Bis- 
marck, 179 



O 

Obolensky, Prince, 292 
Obolensky, Prince and Princess Vla- 
dimir, 257 
Obolensky, Princess Marie, 266, 268 
Odescalchi, Princess. (See Countess 

Redern) 
Oldenburg, Hereditary Grand Duke of, 

103 
Olga, Grand Duchess, marriage, 227 
Olga Feodorovna, Grand Duchess, 
distinguished children, 232 

description of, 232 

death, 232 
Olga of Greece, Queen, 231 
Oppenheim, Miss, marriage of, 147 
Oriolla, Countess Louise, 64, 111 

friendship with Princess Biron, 134 
Oriolla, Countess Max, 139 
Orloff, Countess Olga, 292 
Ossuna, Duke of, 132 
Osterley, garden parties at, 44 
Oubril, Baron d', in Berlin, 178 
Ouida, description of, 25 
Ouroussoff, Princes, 294 



Padilla, Madame Art6t de, 71 
Pahlen, Count Constantine, 269 

conducts Khodinka disaster inquiry, 

333 
Pahlen, Countess Constantine, 269 
Palm Balls, magnificence of, 276 
Paschkievitch, Princess, 266, 268 
Paul, Emperor, 118 
Paul, Grand Duchess, hostess, 272 
Paul, Grand Duke, marriage of, 

231 
Peace of San Stefano, 181 



Percy, Countess, description of, 37 

favourite of Queen Victoria, 37 
Pergler von Preglas, Baroness, 139 
Perponcher, Count Fritz von, 67 
Perponcher, Countess, description of, 

112 
Peter the Great, etiquette, 273 
Peter of Oldenburg, Prince, marriage, 
227 

philanthropy of, 236 
Petrograd. (See St. Petersburg) 
Pitt, 5 
Pless, Prince, 75, 128 

riches of, 131 

in Reichstag, 169 
Pobedonostseff, M., 244, 297 

description of, 247 

death, 248 
Polovtsov, Madame, 292 
Potsdam, William I. attends annual 
feast at, 73 

residence of Crown Prince, 74 
Pourtales, Count William, 114 
Pourtalds, Countess Helene, 140 
Pouschkine, Countess Moussine, patri- 
archal life, 265 
Pouschkine, General Count Alexander 

Moussine, 294 
Preobrajensky Regiment, 294 
Princess Royal, marriage of, 53 
Prussia, fears of, 54 

her debt to William I., 55 
Prussia, Princess of, opposed to King, 

54 
Prussian Court, attempt to change 
ceremonial, 57 



Radolin, Prince, in Berlin, 108 

in St. Petersburg, 304 

transferred to Paris, 305 
Radolin, Princess, resentment of her 

aunt's conduct, 36 
Radowitz, Madame de, 136 
Radziwill, privileged position of family, 
115 

political influence, 145 

connection with Kulturkampf, 153 



352 



Index 



Radziwill, Prince Anthony (i.), rela- 
tionship to Frederick the Great, 
142 
Radziwill, Prince Anthony (n.)> favour- 
ite of William I., 110 
Radziwill, Prince Anthony (in.), 

A.D.C. to William I., 144 
Radziwill, Princess Anthony, boxes 

niece's ears, 36 
Radziwill, Princess Elisa, first love of 

William I., 62, 144 
Radziwill, Prince Ferdinand and Kul- 

turkampf, 145 
Radziwill, Princess Mary, description 

of, 144 
Ranke, Professor, 147 
his views, 148 
and Empress Victoria, 207 
Ratibor, Duchess of, 115 
Ratibor, Duke of, 75, 115, 128, 129 
and Kulturkampf, 130 
in Reichstag, 170 
Rauch, Mdlle. de, marriage of, 104 
Raymond, Professor Dubois, 147 

and Empress Victoria, 207 
Reay, Lord and Lady, description of, 

23 
Red Cross Society helped by Empress 

Augusta, 84 
Redern, Count and Countess, 115 
Reformation, its effect on Germany, 52 
Reichstag members at Court, 66 
formation of political parties, 168 
overridden by Bismarck, 174 
deputies, 209 
Rcnan, Duff's friendship for, 27 
writings quoted, 51 
writings criticised, 207 
Reuterskjold, Baron, in St. Petersburg, 

310 
Richter, 208 

portraits by, 139 
Richter, Madame Cornelie, 139 
Richter, Eugen, leads National Liberals, 
168 
relations with Bismarck, 168 
Ripon, Marquis of, description of, 18 
Rizzio, David, repainting of his blood- 
stains, 40 
Romanoffs, not long-lived, 228 

x 353 



Roon, successes of, 55 

Rosebery, Lord, hope of Liberals, 5 

description of, 24 
Rothschild, Baron Alfred, invitation 

from, 13 
Rotbschild, Baron Ferdinand, descrip- 
tion of, 38 
Rothschild (of Frankfurt), 209 
Russell, Lord Odo, 177. (See also Lord 
Ampthill) 

intervention of, 203 
Russia, author settled in, 126 

under Alexander III., 212 

memories of, 217 

Treaty of Portsmouth, 242 

peasants and landowners, 245 

journalism in, 312 



Sabouroff, Monsieur, quarrels with 

Bismarck, 179 
Sadowa, 55 

effects, 156 
Sagan, Duchess de, description of, 114 
Sagan, Duke de, 73, 75 

description of, 113 
St. Petersburg, author's daughter pre- 
sented at, 3 

hospitals organised, 252 

exclusiveness, 264 

social life, 263, 271 

beautiful women, 290 

salons, 282 

dancing men, 293 

diplomatic corps, 302 
St. Vallier, Count de, 111 

in Berlin, 180 
St. Vallier, Marquis and Marquise, 181 
Salisbury, Lady, strong opinions of, 6 

description of, 32 
Salisbury, Lord, greatness of, 5 

hospitality of, 32 

entertains Frederick III., 205 
Salisbury, Lord and Lady, still main- 
tain Hatfield traditions, 34 
Salome of Mingrelia, Princess, mar- 
riage of, 292 
San Stefano Treaty, 237 



Index 



Saxe-Altenburg, Princess of, marriage 

of, 234 
Saxe-Meiningen, Prince of, marriage 

of, 116 
Saxe-Weimar, Grand Duchess of, de- 
scription of, 118 
Saxe-Weimar, Grand Duke of, dullness 

of, 108 
Schebeko, Madame, 266 

description of, 267 
Sch6be4co, M., marriage of, 292 
ScheremetiefT, Count, 277 
Scheremetieff, Count Alexander, musi- 
cian, 252 
Scheremetieff, Countess Alexander, and 

Red Cross Society, 252 
Scheremetieff, Countess Mary, philan- 
thropist, 252 
Scheremetieff, Count Serge, description 
of, 251 
patriarchal life, 265 
Scheremetieff, Madame, beauty of, 292 
ScheremetiefT, Madame Helene, 258 
Schleinitz, Count, 73 
hated by Bismarck, 137 
death of, 138 
Schleinitz, Countess, 208 
wedding of, 95 
description of, 136 
marries again, 138 
Schouvaloff, Count Paul, success in 

Berlin, 179 
Schouvaloff, Countess, 286 
Schouvaloff, Countess Paul, 260 
Schwabach, Madame, receptions, 150 
Schwancbach, M. von, 334 
Schweinitz, General von, in St. Peters- 
burg, 187 
diplomatic appointments, 302 
friendship with Frederick III., 302 
popidarity in St. Petersburg, 303 
Scotland, visit to, 39 
Sedan, 55 

effects, 156 
Serge, Grand Duchess, hostess, 272 
Serge, Grand Duke, description of, 229 

Governor-General of Moscow, 272 
Serge Alexandrovitch, Grand Duke, 

military command, 294 
Sennoneta, Duchess of, 291 



Shahovskoy, Prince, marriage of, 291 
Shakespeare, his influence on foreign 

literature, 17 
Siemens, Professor and Mrs., 149 
Skobeleff, Mile., marriage of, 235 
Socialist party supported by Centre 

party, 172 
Solovieff, Vladimir, metaphysics, 300 
Solsky, Countess, 287 
Soltykoff, Princess, 288 
Soltykoff, Princess Annette, 293 
Sophy Charlotte, Princess of Prussia, 

marriage of, 103 
Souvorine, Alexis, editorial acumen, 

313 
belief in Russia's future, 316 
Staal, Baron de, kindness of, 11 
Stafford House, fame of, 37 
Stanhope, Lord and Lady, visits 

to, 39 
Stanhope, Philip, letters from Lord 

Chesterfield to, 39 
Stanley of Alderley, Lady, description 

of, 23 
Stanley, Sir Henry, description of, 

23 
Star and Garter, dinner at, 9 
Steinbock Fermor, Count and Countess, 

entertain Empress, 277 
Stieglitz, Baron, 292 
Stillfried, Count, 57 
Stockmar, Baron, advises marriage of 

Princess Royal to Frederick III., 

53 
desire to unite German and English 

families, 192 
Stoetwegen, Baron van, 310 
Stolberg-Wernigerode, Count of, 75, 

128, 131 
Stolberg-Wernigerode, Countess, 131 
Stolberg-Wernigerode, Countess Udo, 

impersonates Queen Elizabeth, 125 
Slrogonoff, Count Gregory, marriage, 

258 
Strogonoff, Countess, marriage, 258 
Slrogonoff, Countess Paul, Mistress of 

Robes, 262 
Stuart, Mr. Maxwell, kindness of, 39 
Sutherland, Duchess of, prettiest 

woman in England, 37 



354 



Index 



Tcherevine, General, 240, 319, 322 
power and popularity, 253 
death of, 253, 255 
independence, 254 
advice to Nicholas II., 255 
devotion to Marie Feodorovna, 256 
Tchin entertained by Royalty, 273 
Tchirscky, Baron, in St. Petersburg, 

310 
Teck, Duchess of, at George V.'s wed- 
ding, 8 
description of, 9 
Tennant, Miss Margot, marriage of, 14 
Teplitz, William I., at, 122 
Thornton, Sir Edward, in St. Peters- 
burg, 305 
transferred to Constantinople, 305 
Thornton, Lady, 305 
Timascheff, General, description of, 

280 
Times newspaper, under Bell, 22 

Dantzig incident, 196 
Toll, Count, 274 
Toll, Count Serge, 267 
Tolstoy, Count, 274 
Tolstoy, Count Dmitri, Goloa news- 
paper, 313 
Minister of Interior, 239 
resoluteness, 239 
death, 239 
Tolstoy, Count Leo, influence of, 

317 
Tolstoy, Countess Alexandrine, 287 
Tolstoy, Countess Sophy, 266 

description of, 267 
Tolstoy, Madame Catherine, beauty of, 

290 
TourgueniefT, message to Tolstoy, 317 
Toutschefl, Mile. Daria, 288 
Treaty of Portsmouth, 242 
Troubetzkoy, Princess Lise, in Paris, 

260 
Tryon, Admiral, death of, 11 
Tsarevitch, Grand Duke, at George V.'s 
marriage, 8 
at Buckingham Palace, 11 
Turkish war, return of Russian troops, 
219 
Russian disappointment, 237 



Tweeddale, Dowager Lady, invitation 
from, 13 



U 
Ujest, Duke of, 128 
Protestantism of, 130 
in Reichstag, 170 



Vauvineux, Count, in St. Petersburg, 

310 
Victor Luis, Archduke, 328 
Victoria, Empress (wife of Frederick 

IIL), 7 

friendship with Lord Ampthill, 97 

criticism of, 98, 190 

dissensions with William II., 99, 210 

silver wedding of, 101, 125 

death of, 126, 216 

birth and upbringing, 190 

betrothal, 192 

criticised by Augusta, 193 

difficulties in Germany, 193 

marriage, 193 

distrusted, 194 

her memorandum, 194 

death of son, 198 

during Austrian War, 198 

ambitions for husband, 200 

description of, 201 

sorrows of, 206 

friends of, 207 

Elizabethan party, 209 

impersonates Leonora Gonzagua, 209 

as Empress, 213 

reconciliation with William II., 216 

author's last meeting with, 216 
Victoria, Empress (wife of William 
II.), happy home life and tact, 107 
Victoria, H.M.S., loss of, 11 
Victoria, Princess. (See Empress Vic- 
toria) 
Victoria, Queen, 323 

description of, 7 

at Marlborough House, 7 

at George V.'s marriage, 8 

her association with Gladstone.. 29 

visits Napoleon III., 191 



355 



Index 



Victoria, Queen, upbringing of chil- 
dren, 191 

Villagonzala, Count, in St. Petersburg, 
309 

Villeneuve, Countess de, 291 

Vincent, Lady Helen, brilliance of, 38 

Vladimir Alexandrovitch, Grand Duke, 
description of, 228 

Volkenstein, Count, marriage of, 96. 138 
in St. Petersburg, 305 

Volkenstein, Countess, 208 

Volkhonsky, Prince, plotting and exile, 
295 

Volkhonsky, Prince Michael, restora- 
tion, 295 

Volkhonsky, Prince Sergius, 296 

Volkhonsky, Prince Vladimir, in Duma, 
296 

Volkhonsky, Princess Lise, 291, 295 
erudition, 296 
conversion to Catholicism, 297 

Volkhonsky, Princess Mary, 296 



W 
Waddesdon Manor, description of, 38 
Wagner, Madame Cosima, 136 
Waldemar of Prussia, Prince, death of, 

206 
Wales, Prince of, birth of, 37 
Wales, Princess of. (See Alexandra) 
Walsingham, 5 
Werder, General von, in St. Petersburg, 

303 
recalled, 304 
Wernigerode Castle, 131 
Wharncliffe, Lord, description of, 30 
White Hall, fine sight at, 120 
White Lodge, visit to, 9 
Wiazemsky, Princess, marriage of, 

251 
Wiesbaden, visited by William I., 73 
Wildenbruch, Madame von, 105 
Wilhelms Platz Palace, reception at, 

100 
Wilhelmina of Hesse Cassel, Princess, 

marriage of, 143 
William I., Emperor, description of, 50 
vicissitudes of, 51 



W 



\\ 



illiam I., Emperor, in war of 1870, 
52 

difficult position of, 53 

belief in Prussia's future, 54 

loyalty of, to his brother, 54 

as Regent, 54 

relations with Bismarck, 55 

unappreciated by nation, 55 

disinterestedness of, 55 

lack of vanity, 58 

declines escort, 62 

hard worker, 63 

at Empress's tea parties, 65 

as a host, 68 

at manoeuvres, 73 

visits Wiesbaden for his rheumatism, 
73 

entertained by friends, 73 

love for his daughter, 75 

great age attained, 90 

struggle with Crown Prince, 93 

life attempted by Hodel, 97 

friendship with Countess Oriolla, 
111 

at Royal weddings, 120 

wounded by Nobeling, 122, 205 

golden wedding celebrated, 123 

acclaimed at opera, 135 

recovery of, 135 

realisation of Prussia's destiny, 
158 

Dantzig incident, 195 

curtails liberty of Press, 195 

accepts Imperial Crown, 199 

objection to peace with Austria, 
197 

death, 212 

friendly to Princess Kotchoubey, 
260 

Franco-Russian Alliance, 304 

illiam II., Emperor, description of, 
106 

marriage of, 125 

break with Bulow, 188 

dissensions with Empress Victoria, 
210 

proposed appointment in Alsace- 
Lorraine, 210 

reconciliation with Empress Vic- 
toria, 216 



356 



Index 



William III. of Netherlands, King, in 

Berlin, 122 
Windhorst, Dr., leads Centre party, 171 

autocratic methods, 171 
Wischnegradsky, M., description of, 241 

death, 241 
Witte, Count, description of, 242 

signs Treaty of Portsmouth, 242 

despotic tendencies, 244 

financial administrator, 244 
Woronzoil Dachkoff, Count, 268, 277, 
293 

description of, 250 
Woronzoff DachkolT, Countess, 277 



X 

Xenia Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess, 
227, 292, 319 



York House, 20 

York, Duke of. (See George V.) 
Youssoupoff, Prince, 277 
YoussoupoiT, Princess, 289, 292 



Zakharine, Professor, 320 



357 



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